Members of the Syracuse Graduate Employees United march in hopes of recognition

By William Bennett for Local Today | Published on February 9, 2023

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About 250 Syracuse University graduates and union supporters marched from the Carnegie Library on Wednesday to deliver letters in support of the Syracuse Graduate Employees Union to Chancellor Kent Syverud, Provost Gretchen Ritter and the Board of Trustees. The demonstrators called on the university administration to voluntarily recognize DAEU.

The SU administration has until February 20 to voluntarily recognize the SGEU, according to the organization’s letter to Ritter. If the university doesn’t voluntarily recognize the union, SGEU is willing to petition a union election to the National Labor Relations Board in Buffalo, said Hayden Courtney, a graduate student in SU’s sociology department.

“We conduct research, teach, grade papers, projects and exams, serve on committees, oversee field internships and perform other important functions not only to keep this university running but also to maintain its R-1 research status,” said Michelle Tyran , a student assistant in the food science department, before handing the letter to Ritter. “SU works because we do it.”

Ritter met with protesters from 14 different campus and community groups, including SGEU, the Undergraduate Labor Organization, the Student Association, the Graduate Student Organization and the Urban Jobs Task Force. The ULO also presented Ritter with a petition with over 1,000 signatures from SU students, staff, parents and alumni.

Sadie Novak, a fourth-year PhD student at the chemistry department, said she appreciates SGEU’s hard work and the support of the university community. Courtney echoed her statement, stressing the importance of working together for better working conditions given graduate students’ frustration with low scholarships and health plan limitations.

Also read: Student Association Announces Support for Syracuse Graduate Employees United

“Trade union movements are generally built around a unitary coalition,” Courtney said. “It’s a work between several different groups, because really we’re all fighting for justice, not just within the university, but also in a larger community in Syracuse.”

SA unanimously passed a bill Monday to formally recognize and support SGEU’s union campaign launched on January 17. GSO passed a similar bill recognizing SGEU at its February 2 meeting.

Representatives from the Democratic Socialists of America and the Syracuse Labor Council, who attended the march, urged action on workers’ rights.

“We will always support workers’ rights to organize and have a voice at work,” Spadafore said. “We hope you will be a role model for the rest of the community of what labor relationships can be like. We want you to recognize this union.”

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Sohrob Aslamy, a doctoral student in the Department of Geography and Environment, represented the Syracuse branch for the Socialism and Liberation Party. He stressed the importance of what SGEU’s efforts mean for the broader Syracuse community.

“We are proud to send hundreds of unionized college graduates here on campus to say with determination that a victory for one union in our city is a victory for all the people of our city,” Aslamy said.

SGEU said its goal is to build and maintain a respectful and cooperative relationship with SU. In its letter to Ritter, SGEU wrote that the majority of members of the union effort signed union authorization cards.

Megan Cooper, a member of ULO’s leadership team, emphasized the importance of supporting and advocating for student assistants. Cooper, who focuses on outreach to students, said ULO is actively working with SGEU to help achieve its goals.

“We have a large number of workers on this campus who are not paid fairly, who do not receive fair benefits, who work far beyond their agreed hours,” Cooper said. “This union campaign is really important and makes sure they are really heard and treated with respect.”

Courtney said the demonstration was a step in the right direction for both SGEU and SU administrations and that SU had been “cordial” in listening to SGEU’s needs. Courtney said SGEU is currently working with lawyers from the Service Employees International Union, a national organization of union workers, to ensure the protection of student protesters.

Matthew Huber, a professor at SU’s Institute of Geology and the Environment, also presented Ritter with a letter signed by at least 250 SU faculty members. Huber told Ritter that SGEU’s slogan, “SU works because we do it,” extends to faculty staff as well.

“It’s great to see all types of workers out here on campus supporting a fundamental legal right in this country, which is the right to organize,” Huber said. “It’s really important that all kinds of workers come out to support the student workers.”

Novak stressed the importance of faculty support, as with Huber. She said she believes SU is serious about working with SGEU to move forward.

“We’re really excited about what this means for graduate student workers at SU, and we’re even more excited to share this moment with the tremendous support of the community that has gathered around us,” Novak said.

Published February 8, 2023 at 11:41 p.m