The University of Michigan thrives as a world-class research institution due in large part to the hard work of dedicated faculty and graduate student research assistants (GSRAs). As employees of the University of Michigan, GSRAs value working under the direction of its esteemed faculty, just as Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) and Graduate Student Staff Assistants (GSSAs) do.
Over the past year, GSRAs have been coming together to talk about our work experiences at UM–both what we prize about them and how they could be improved—and we’ve learned that the reasons why GSRAs want to form a union differ as much as GSRAs ourselves do.
In some departments, working conditions, pay and benefits are good; GSRAs in those departments want a union to help us and our departments protect and build upon the advantages they have.
In other departments, GSRAs face issues in need of resolution—inadequate access to research equipment, problems with workplace safety, untimely payment of salaries, and lack of access to sick and bereavement leave are a few about which we’ve heard.
Currently, GSRAs have no formal mechanism to interact with the University as our employer in negotiating our wages, benefits, or working conditions.
Our Goal
The purpose of this campaign is to restore to GSRAs the right to negotiate the terms and conditions of our employment with the University.
Navigate the rest of the GSRA campaign site by the links on the right sidebar.
Faculty: We understand that you may have questions about what it would mean for the GSRAs you supervise to be a part of a union. We welcome your questions and are happy to meet with you at a time and a place of your convenience to talk more about the upcoming GSRA election. Please contact umgeo@umich.edu with your questions.
