TLDR: We hope to see you at bargaining on 9/18 at 2 PM and join us in our call for a union contract today!

Josh,

This Thursday, September 18th from 2–5 PM, we have another bargaining session for our union contract with the Harvard administration. For this session, we are presenting a number of counterproposals, but we will be focusing in particular on “stipendees” and the administration’s attempts at eroding our union rights.

Just as they have done with the Harvard Graduate Students Union, the administration is attempting to exclude hundreds of workers from our union by claiming that, because they are paid by stipend, they do not work for Harvard. We strongly encourage everyone to come, fight for the integrity of our union, and show admins we are standing strong together against these anti-union tactics. Your presence alone (even on Zoom!) can show the administration that you want to see “stipendees” recognized as workers and want a strong union contract now!

To join, please fill out this RSVP here by 1:00 PM on Wednesday, September 17. You can join via zoom or in person, but only folks who have RSVPed by this deadline can participate. Once you have RSVPd once, you do not need to again. If you have previously observed via Zoom and would like to come in person for the first time, just email us and let us know.

We cannot wait, we want our union contract now!

Harvard admins have been going very slowly. We won our election almost a year and a half ago, and have held twenty-one bargaining sessions. In all of this time, admins have agreed to settle only four articles in our contract. Grad workers at UNH, who had their election the week before us, have already settled half or more of their contract! Wellesley NTT faculty, who held their election three months before us, have already settled their full contract. At the current pace, our first contract will take far too long and leave far too many colleagues behind. We have to show admins that we are serious about our priorities and demand a contract now.

You can help show that we are serious with just a few seconds of your time. We’re urging everyone to sign our demand for a union contract. Although it might seem like a small thing, your name on this petition helps demonstrate to admins that we are standing together to win the contract we deserve.

In solidarity,

HAW-UAW FAS/HMS/HDS Bargaining Committee