GSWOC-UAW, the union representing graduate student workers at USC, scheduled a Strike Authorization Vote for October 24-26, 2023. A strike authorization vote is a vote that authorizes the union’s bargaining team to call a strike if they believe the situation justifies one.

The union sent its membership a link to vote online on the morning of October 24. When two thirds of votes cast are in favor of a strike, then a strike has been authorized. A quorum of voting membership is not required, nor is the union required to share its voting methodology. 

The strike is scheduled to begin on November 28.

The union will likely ask that all members of the bargaining unit strike. The National Labor Relations Board certified a bargaining unit that consists of all students with appointments as Teaching Assistants (TA), Research Assistants (RA), and Assistant Lecturers (AL), as well as students on Fellowship in STEM disciplines. Ninety-seven percent of the unit consists of Ph.D. students, although a small number of masters students holding TA or RA positions are also considered to be in the unit.

The exact composition of the bargaining unit remains an open question. The union is proposing that the unit be broader and include all students on fellowship and others whose status was expressly left undecided in the official certification of the bargaining unit by the National Labor Relations Board. They may encourage these students to also strike.

No. The decision to strike or not is an individual one. The union cannot force graduate student workers to go on strike.

Many graduate student workers will have good reasons for choosing not to strike, such as continuing to make progress on their research and experiments, preparing to graduate, finishing work on a grant, helping their students prepare for finals, or because they hold different views.

Just as faculty may not retaliate against graduate student workers who choose to strike, graduate student workers who choose to continue working during a strike should be welcome to do so without fear of negative repercussions from faculty, staff, or fellow students. Strike or no strike, every student member of the USC community is expected to conduct themselves according to the principles and policies laid out in the Student Handbook (https://policy.usc.edu/studenthandbook/).

Yes, International Students are able to strike if they so choose. Striking will not impact visa status. International Students with concerns about the strike are encouraged to reach out to the Graduate School and/or the Office of International Services.

The university is continuing to bargain in good faith. Given the progress made at the bargaining table so far, the generous proposals the university has made, and the fact that USC graduate student workers already receive one of the most competitive funding packages in the nation, we believe we should be able to reach a fair contract agreement via the bargaining process. As such, a strike is entirely unwarranted.

Since bargaining began in April, we have reached 24 Tentative Agreements (articles to be included in the contract) and responded to all of the union’s demands—including proposing an economic package that sends a clear signal that USC appreciates the contributions of its graduate students and will work cooperatively with union negotiators to provide further enhancements to the competitive funding packages it already provides. We will continue to meet regularly and engage in honest dialogue, with a view to reaching a fair and equitable contract as soon as possible.

We do not know. The university is working hard to bargain a fair contract, including guaranteed annual raises to all stipends, a fund for dependent healthcare, a fund for childcare, the remission of all Mandatory University Fees and proposing peer-led anti-discrimination training.

Nevertheless, if the union continues to refuse to agree to a contract that guarantees one of the most competitive packages in the country, a strike could drag on into the spring semester or beyond. Faculty should be prepared for this eventuality and adapt their syllabi, assessments, and research plans accordingly.

In keeping with NLRB guidelines, it is important that faculty who oversee graduate student workers do not interfere with, let alone coerce or restrain, union activities. Please avoid initiating any discussion of a strike with graduate student workers. Don’t ask students what they think about the union, what other students think, who the supporters of the union are, or any other questions about the union’s internal affairs. If a student volunteers information, you may listen, but do not ask follow-up questions.

Yes. Faculty members are free to continue to discuss anything pertaining to academics, research, programs of study, classes and coursework, and a student’s academic progress during a strike.

Union members have already approached faculty members asking them to sign letters of support for union demands or to otherwise signal their support for graduate student workers. While we respect that faculty members will have a range of views on this issue, faculty are considered managers and, with respect to graduate student workers, supervisors who are not covered under the National Labor Relations Act.

USC Faculty are prohibited from coercing or restraining students as to their participation in union activities. We caution that signing a letter of support could create the impression that students who do not support the union will suffer adverse consequences from the faculty member who signs.

Department and program chairs should be especially mindful that they are representatives of the management of the university who, under the law, are prohibited from negotiating directly with students or their representatives on union issues. To avoid creating an impression that this has taken place, we request that you do not sign whatever you are being requested to sign. You are also encouraged to bring any concerns raised by the students to your dean, who will bring them to USC’s bargaining team.

Graduate student workers are permitted to picket or demonstrate in open-air spaces on campus. Graduate student workers are not permitted to picket or demonstrate within USC buildings, and neither are third party individuals (such as non-USC union representatives or supporters) permitted in USC buildings without appropriate authorization. Posting flyers and other literature in or on USC buildings is not permitted. If you have questions or issues arise, please contact the Graduate School.

USC Faculty are considered managers (and, with respect to graduate student workers, supervisors) and are not covered by the National Labor Relations Act. A strike does not change a faculty member’s obligation to perform their faculty duties, including the submission of grades or conducting class. Canceling class or failing to submit grades would constitute “neglect of duty”.

Graduate student workers are first and foremost students of USC. The fact of a strike does not absolve a student from continued academic performance. As such, striking students are expected to maintain academic progress towards their degrees. This includes coming to class, completing academic assignments, sitting for exams, continuing research towards their dissertation, and meeting the relevant academic milestones laid out in their program’s handbook.

No. Graduate student workers will not be paid if they elect to strike, as they will not be performing the duties connected to their stipend. Additionally, if federal grant funding is involved, and graduate student workers do not fulfill their project responsibilities or meet the regular effort that would be reported, then the duties not performed cannot be charged to sponsored funds.