'SU only works because we do': Syracuse University graduate student workers vote to unionize

By Ava Pukatch for WXXI News | Published on April 6, 2023

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After two days of voting, Syracuse Graduate Employees United voted 728 to 36 to unionize. The vote comes as the graduate workers look to improve their working conditions.

Sadie Novak, a fourth year Ph.D. student in the chemistry department, said efforts to unionize have been ongoing for years as Syracuse University graduate workers hope to see higher stipends and fully subsidized health care. She said issues raised by the union are representative of all departments across campus.

"I'm really excited for what this means for the people here who are in their first, second, third year of their Ph.D. at SU," Novak said. "But I'm also really excited about what this means for all the generations of grad students to come after us."

Funded graduate students are only supposed to work 20 hours a week, but Sara Jo Soldovieri, a third year Ph.D. in inclusive education, said that is laughable as many are working way more than that.

"Folks are working 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 hours a week," Soldovieri said.

Soldovieri said graduate students also want to see other benefits too like maternity and paternity leave.

"Someone actually came out to the union vote today who's like right on her due date," Soldovieri said. "She'll be expected to be TA-ing the day after she has her baby. We have no paid maternity or paternity leave."

The union also wants assistance for international students making the transition into graduate school.

Amisha Agarwala is an international graduate student in the biology department and the work hours make it difficult for her to go home.

"Going home is almost impossible because of flight tickets," Agarawala said. "Technically we're only teaching during the academic year, but we're expected to be here all the time. We don't really get any time off where I could go home."

"This university relies on our labor," Soldovieri said. "SU would not work without us as SU only works because we do."

Syracuse Graduate Employees United will now enter a collective bargaining process with the university.

"This is an important process for all parties and we will negotiate in the spirit of partnership and respect that have been the hallmarks of our labor-management relationships to date," Syracuse University Provost Gretchen Ritter said in a message to the campus community. "In the meantime, we remain committed to ensuring a positive, rewarding and successful experience for all our graduate students.