AROUND HIGHER EDUCATION: Yale TAs vote in favor of union representation

Striking Yale University graduate students in the humanities and social sciences voted overwhelmingly today in favor of having the Graduate Employees and Students Organization represent them in collective bargaining with the administration. The League of Women Voters conducted the election, which is part of a week-long strike that began Monday. While the Yale administration has repeatedly said that it will not recognize GESO or the election, GESO representatives hoped to show Yale officials that they have student support. For the past few months, teaching assistants have asked the university to hold a union election. TAs argue that because they teach 53 percent of all classes -- including all foreign language classes -- they should be recognized as regular employees. Until Yale recognizes the graduate students' election, GESO members said they do not expect the administration will acknowledge their grievances -- including low pay and poor health care benefits. Yale officials have said that it would be inappropriate to recognize GESO, or any other union for TAs, because they are primarily students. During an informal dinner with undergraduate students, Yale President Richard Levin said he would rather shut down the school than negotiate with GESO, according to the Yale Daily News. Throughout the strike, GESO has gained widening support from members of the university. The unions representing Yale's clerical and blue-collar workers have publicly voiced their approval of the strike. The contracts for the union members are up for negotiation this January, and many speculate that these employees will strike unless the university recognizes GESO. Junior faculty have also supported the students, according to Yale Federation of University Employees spokesperson Gordon Lafer. Lafer also said that administration officials have pressured faculty to cover the classes that graduate students normally teach. Sixteen members of the Untenured Faculty Organization issued a statement calling on the University to "respect the independence of faculty members in this conflict between the administration and Yale teaching assistants." Lafer added that some faculty members have threatened to penalize graduate students if they participate in the strike -- including refusing to write letters of recommendation on their behalf. While GESO asked administration officials to condemn such actions, Yale has not made any public statements regarding the issue, Lafer said. GESO member Ted Liazos said the week has been grueling for everyone. "On the one hand, I'm satisfied by the level of support we've gotten," Liazos said. "Seventy percent of classes weren't taught." But, Liazos added, many are disheartened by the Yale's reaction.

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