The following press release was sent to the Bloomingtonian Monday evening:
“STRIKE VOTE PASSES WITH OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
IGWC-UE Strike to Continue for Another Week
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20TH, 1:30PM – BALLANTINE
Alumni Speak Out on Grad Employee Demands
The Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition – United Electrical Workers (IGWC-UE) voted 967-27 to extend their week-long strike for another week. The vote parallels the initial strike vote, which also succeeded by an overwhelming 97% margin.
Graduate workers at IU perform a myriad of jobs, including teaching their undergraduate students, who IGWC-UE members are striking for. Since 2012, the average salaries of IU’s administrators have increased by 1.24 times, whereas the average salaries for graduate students and tenured faculty have only increased by 1.14-1.16 times, respectively. It is clear that undergraduate tuition dollars are not making it back into the classroom, but instead lining the pockets of high-level administrators.
Katie Shy, a graduate worker in the English Department shared, “I am deeply committed to providing quality education for my undergraduates here at IU. It saddens me to hear them concerned about the rising costs of tuition and to know those costs do not translate back into a better education.”
Alumni from Indiana University share these concerns with the financial donations they provide to IU. As Physics alum Justin Vasel shares, “The money we donate as alumni is not going to the educational mission of the University. Until the administration agrees to negotiate with graduate student workers in good faith, I and over 860 other IUB alumni have pledged to withhold donations to the University.”
Striking members of the IGWC-UE will be joined by IU alumni including Justin Vasel on the picket lines this Wednesday, April 20. Speeches begin at 1:30pm at the picket line at Ballantine.
For further questions and correspondence, contact Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition media correspondent Maddie Dery ([email protected], 845-242-1115).
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/IndianaGrads/
https://www.instagram.com/indianagrads/“
