New York University Agrees to Recognize and Bargain With UAW Graduate Assistants

    NEW YORK, March 2 On Thursday evening, March 1, New York
University (NYU) and UAW officials signed a letter of agreement in which NYU
agreed to recognize and commence bargaining with GSOC/UAW, the union for
graduate teaching and research assistants at NYU.
    The dramatic breakthrough was announced last night at a meeting of NYU
graduate student employees who gathered at Judson Memorial Church for what
they thought would be a strike authorization vote.  Instead, the meeting
quickly turned into a celebration of the landmark victory.  Graduate students
cheered and applauded as organizers recommended electing a bargaining
committee in place of the anticipated election of a strike committee.
    The historic agreement constitutes the first time a private university has
recognized the right of its graduate student employees to form a union.
    "We won!  Finally, we have our union, and a chance to negotiate over our
ideas about how we can make life better for graduate assistants," said
Kimberly Johnson, a graduate employee in the American Studies department.
    "We are pleased to have reached this agreement with the University," said
UAW Vice President Elizabeth Bunn.  "Graduate student employees across the
country have a major stake in this historic achievement.  It's amazing the
kind of support and networks these folks have, the word is out -- graduate
students everywhere are going to organize."
    "It's about time these workers got the recognition they deserve for the
tremendous contribution they make to the University," said UAW Regional
Director Phil Wheeler.  "We welcome the vitality and energy they bring to our
movement and the knowledge we gained in building GSOC/UAW -- fighting hard and
winning every step of the way."