Teachers College: Respect Democracy. Let us vote!
We, the undersigned student workers at Teachers College, urge you to respect our democratic right to vote on forming our union. We urge you to:
- Agree to a free and fair election process for voting on UAW representation, overseen by a private, neutral third-party such as the American Arbitration Association;
- commit to not attempt to influence student workers to vote yes or no;
- and immediately commence bargaining in good faith for a contract upon certification of a majority vote of student workers for UAW representation.
Despite the broad support for the right to vote on a union across nearly every department and program, and despite the fact that peer institutions such as NYU, Georgetown, and Brown have agreed to the process outlined above, you have chosen to hide behind the Trump administration to try to stop us from exercising our basic democratic right to vote on union representation.
Not only is your decision out of step with national precedent; it is also inconsistent with TC’s stated commitment to “Institutionalize a Culture That Supports Our Community.” Student workers are essential to TC’s teaching, research, and service, and yet we lack basic protections that collective bargaining could secure: due process, fair and predictable pay, access to healthcare, and stronger support for our well-being. Agreeing to a fair voting process would affirm that TC values our contributions and respects the democratic principles it claims to champion.
We therefore ask you to commit to a fair and neutral process that allows student workers to vote on whether to form our union. Anything less is a denial of democracy at an institution that defines itself by its commitment to equity, justice, and human flourishing.
“Being a student worker isn’t as uncommon as some might think. There are many of us who are juggling multiple jobs while striving to excel as students. I advocate for a union at TC because fair pay, transparency, and the protection of our rights are essential for better supporting students. Sharing our concerns and experiences through a TC union will be crucial for building solidarity amongst students. We are not alone in our struggles!”
“It’s vital for student workers to be organized and practice solidarity so that we can collectively advocate for better working and learning conditions. We deserve to have our voices and interests heard in order to build a community based in justice and fairness. As a parent, I know there is a need for more stability, job security, and fair compensation.”
We are student workers at Teachers College forming a union to improve our working conditions and strengthen our collective voice.
As TAs, RAs, Fellows, CAs, Hourly Student Workers, and Federal Work Study Student Workers, we make essential contributions to the world-class teaching and research conducted at TC. However, many of us still struggle to pay high housing and other costs in New York City, lack secure rights in the workplace, and face increasing uncertainty about our futures given the precarious nature of higher education and unstable regulation of visas and work authorization for international student workers.
We have already seen the power of organized student workers at major institutions to dramatically improve their working conditions through unionization with United Auto Workers, including student workers across the street at Columbia and also at Harvard, NYU, the New School, and University of California. By building on the experiences of our peers at other universities, we can continue to raise standards for student workers across U.S. higher education.
We join a growing national movement of graduate student workers and other academics forming unions to improve our lives and our work. Student workers organizing with the UAW across the country have made a difference advocating for science research funding, fair visa and immigration policies, and better working conditions in all academic institutions.