Graduate students want to unionize

University of Alaska graduate students employed by the university are exploring unionization, according to Alaska Public Media. 

”The Alaskan Graduate Workers Association would represent 425 academic student employees, about 80% of whom work at the University of Alaska Fairbanks,” the article reads.

Speaking to Alaska Public Media, Abigail Schiffmiller, co-organizer of the unionization effort and grad student, stated, “We want to be involved in (the) decision making process for decisions that affect our lives,” emphasizing that “[t]he cost of living in Fairbanks and Anchorage has increased a lot in recent years, but the pay increases through the university have been minimal and sporadic.”

[RELATED: Student workers union made new COVID demands as classmates returned to campus]

The graduate students are seeking to organize under UAW, “one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy,” according to the labor organization’s website.

Campus Reform has covered similar efforts at university employee unionization and similar worker-oriented movements this past year.

In April 2022, graduate workers sought to unionize at Indiana University, Bloomington, when “participating graduate workers... hosted picket lines, walk-outs, and even a strike ‘dance party.’”

[RELATED: COVID drives student workers’ demands for university to recognize their union]

The biggest such story, however, was the state-wide University of California System graduate employee strike, which reached a tentative end with an agreement in late December.

The University of Alaska, The Alaskan Graduate Workers Association, the UAW, the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, and Abigail Schiffmiller have not responded to comments requested by Campus Reform.