The following press release was sent to the Bloomingtonian Tuesday. Indiana University said last week that graduate workers are not actually IU employees, therefore IU doesn’t have to recognize their union.
Text of release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Following the Resolution in Support of Graduate Worker Unionization passed by the General Assembly on February 4, The Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) has informed the Office of the Provost and University Graduate School that it will appoint a committee of GPSG representatives to facilitate the creation of a pathway to union recognition for the Indiana Graduate Workers’ Coalition – United Electrical Workers (IGWC-UE). In a February 8 letter to Interim Provost John Applegate and University Graduate School Dean David Daleke (attached), GPSG President Valentina Luketa offers the GPSG’s services as a mediator in conversations between the University and IGWC-UE.
President Luketa stated, “The graduate student body has endorsed unionization and we expect the Provost to respect their decision. The GPSG will do everything we can to facilitate a dialogue between the union and the Provost. We look forward to hearing from the Provost on how we can move toward this dialogue.”
The GPSG is the official university-sponsored student government for all graduate and professional students across all Indiana University-Bloomington schools and departments. GPSG serves over 10,000 graduate and professional students at IU-Bloomington by providing advocacy, academic support, community building, and access to resources.
Contact:
Chelsey Belt
Communications Coordinator, Graduate & Professional Student Government
iu[email protected] | 812-855-8747 | Wells Library, East Tower 544G
February 8, 2022
Dear Interim Provost Applegate and Vice Provost Daleke,
This past Friday, February 4th, the GPSG General Assembly passed the Resolution in Support of Graduate Worker Unionization with 60 votes in favor, 0 against, and 1 abstention. This Resolution clearly communicates the will of our constituents to be recognized as a labor union.
We expect the University Graduate School and the Office of the Provost to respect the near unanimous decision of the GPSG Assembly. To that end, we would like to offer our services as a facilitator or mediator in a process aimed at creating a pathway for union recognition of the Indiana Graduate Workers’ Coalition – United Electrical Workers (IGWC-UE) through a union election. To this end, I will appoint a sub-committee of GPSG representatives charged with facilitating this process.
We would like to begin by scheduling a meeting in which representatives of GPSG, IGWC-UE, and the Office of the Provost can work out the details of a union recognition process.
We would propose to meet on Monday, February 14th between 2pm and 4pm. If you are not available at this time, please offer some times when you or your designee would be able to meet.
We look forward to working with you on this important project.
Sincerely,
Valentina Luketa
President, Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG)
