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IU grad workers ask Whitten for path to unionize, higher pay

By Aubrey Wright

Posted January 19, 2024

Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition wrote to President Pamela Whitten asking for union recognition and higher wages. (Courtesy of David Garner)

Graduate students on Indiana University’s Bloomington campus are demanding union recognition and a living wage this spring.  

The Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition (IGWC-UE) delivered a message to President Pamela Whitten Tuesday asking for a pathway to union recognition and raises for Student Academic Appointees. The group reports about 1,300 card-carrying members, said David Garner, a PhD student and IGWC’s media correspondent. 

“Since we have the majority of grad workers who have signed new union cards, we decided to take those and ask President Whitten to finally hear us,” Garner said.   

The workers requested a response from Whitten and the university by Jan. 29.  

 Only IU’s Board of Trustees can authorize recognition.  

Garner said the union hopes IU responds positively, and that the group doesn’t want a strike like in 2022. About 1,000 workers went on strike in the spring 2022 semester. In August 2022, the Whitten and Provost Rahul Shrivastav announced IU waived mandatory fees and raised the minimum SAA stipend by 46 percent to $22,000.   

The union is waiting to see how the administration responds to their letter, Garner said.  

“We love teaching. We love research. We love our students,” Garner said. “That's not really a conversation we're having yet. And if we do have that conversation, that's a long discussion that we have with our members.” 

Before the union sent their letter to Whitten, the Dean of Bloomington’s Graduate School David Daleke announced a new minimum stipend of $23,000 for a half-time, 10-month SAA appointment. The university also announced 24/7 counseling and expanded career development services.  

Based on MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, the IGWC said in a release wages in Bloomington should be about $28,000 for 10-month contracts and about $34,000 for 12-month contracts. MIT’s Living Wage Calculator shows the hourly rate that one person in a household must earn to support themselves and/or their family while working full time.  

The union kicked off its most recent campaign with a “More say, more pay” rally last September, in which about 700 workers signed their union cards.    

Garner said students and graduate workers across the campus struggle to pay their bills even with multiple jobs. Garner, a father of two, works another job in addition to his teaching and research to cover daycare costs. He and many others have to rely on their spouse or family to get by. On top of their bills, many graduate workers have student loans.  

Asking for a living wage doesn’t seem unreasonable, Garner said.  

“This would help with that a great deal for so many grad workers who were just struggling to pay bills,” Garner said.  

The Bloomington Faculty Council, the Undergraduate Student Government, the Graduate and Professional Student Government and the Bloomington City Council have all voted to support and recognize the union.   

“We, we've had so much support from faculty and alumni, and not just the grad workers, but undergrads who have supported us,” Garner said. “It seems that everybody, everybody supports our unionization. And we just, we’re confused why the administration refuses to listen to everybody.” 

Aubrey is our higher education reporter and a Report For America corps member. Contact her at aubmwrig@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @aubreymwright.