The 1,000 or so members of the Graduate Employees Union at the University of Michigan have authorized a strike and will begin picketing on Tuesday, the union announced on Labor Day.
"This is a historic moment: we are striking at the beginning of the year, in the midst of a pandemic, to protect our whole community," the union wrote on Twitter.
The organization had issued a list of demands that include the right to work remotely, increased COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.
Saturday: UM graduate employees issue demands, vote on strike authorization
Rick Fitzgerald, spokesman for the University of Michigan, noted that GEO ratified a new contract with the university in April.
"We continue to talk with them, but many of the topics they raise aren't subject to bargaining," Fitzgerald said. "We plan to move ahead, and we expect classes to go on."
Among the demands:
- For graduate employees, a universal right to work remotely without documentation, resources for remote work, better representation in the decision-making processes of the university surrounding health measures, and access to the health models motivating current policy.
- For parents and caregivers, care subsidy regardless of a care provider’s license status and location and the age of those who need care; allow for health care plans to be maintained and available even during leaves of absence taken by anyone, at no extra cost.
- For international students, better International Center support and the repeal of the $500 international student fee and document shipping fee.
- For graduate students, unconditional support in the form of extensions to degree timelines and funding, a $2,500 unconditional emergency grant, rent freezes and flexible leases for on-campus housing.
- The defunding of the Division of Public Safety and Security, involving a cut of 50% of their annual budget and a reallocation of the funds to community-based justice initiatives.
- UM must cut all ties with police, including the Ann Arbor Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Aug. 31, after more than 300 positive cases on campus, the GEO held a die-in protest at the Diag, where members chanted "save our health, not your wealth" regarding in-person teaching.
UM has given 10,752 tests since March 8, and 341 of them have come back positive, according to the university's data. In the last two weeks, 59 people have tested positive.
According to the Michigan Almanac, last updated in January, there are about 73,000 people at the Ann Arbor campus, between students, faculty and staff.
The union will hold a digital meeting, from 5 to 7 p.m. with its membership. Members will sign up for picket shifts, whether in-person or virtual.
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