Kamal Ghorui
Last October, graduate students at Penn State delivered a decisive message. In a campus-wide election, nearly 90% of participating voters backed the formation of a union, marking a turning point after years of organising. For many students who juggle teaching, research, and academic responsibilities, the result felt like long-overdue recognition of their role in keeping the university running.The new union, represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW), is meant to cover graduate assistants, most notably teaching assistants and research assistants. But weeks after the results were certified, Penn State moved to challenge part of that victory.
University appeals over research assistant inclusion
The university has filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB), objecting specifically to the inclusion of research assistants (RAs) in the bargaining unit. Teaching assistants and administrative support assistants, Penn State says, are not part of the dispute.In a statement on its “grad facts” website, Penn State explained its position to Centre Daily Times: “The University’s position is that the RA role is unique from other graduate assistant positions because research is an integral part of their academic training and degree requirements, guided by individualized faculty mentorship and scholarly expectations.”Activities such as designing research, developing methodologies, collaborating with teams, and building academic independence, the university argues, are central to earning advanced degrees, making the RA role fundamentally different from other assistantships.At the same time, Penn State says it plans to move forward with negotiations covering teaching assistants and administrative support assistants. “As the University community waits for the PLRB to review the matter and issue a decision, activities will continue as usual, and Penn State will remain committed to providing a supportive environment for every graduate assistant,” the statement said.
Graduate students push back
For graduate organisers, that reassurance rings hollow. In a December 12 newsletter, the Coalition of Graduate Employees at Penn State described the appeal as “deeply disappointing,” arguing that it undermines the collective will expressed at the ballot box.“We all know that RAs are workers who are essential to the research operations of Penn State,” the newsletter mentioned. “Tens of thousands of graduate student research assistants at dozens of other universities across the country have formed unions and successfully negotiated contracts that have made significant improvements to working conditions.”The group launched a petition calling on Penn State to withdraw its appeal. Alongside it, organisers laid out 10 priorities for negotiations, including: fair pay, comprehensive healthcare, protection from harassment and discrimination, support for international and parenting graduate assistants, guaranteed paid leave, strong union representation, an accessible grievance process, and safer, more productive workplaces.
Years of organizing and broader union momentum
This election was the culmination of years of organising. Roughly 5,000 graduate students were eligible to vote, after an unsuccessful union attempt in 2017–18. This time, the margin was overwhelming.Union momentum at Penn State extends beyond graduate workers. In December, the Penn State Faculty Alliance filed a petition to hold a union election for faculty members, signalling growing interest in collective representation across the university.The road aheadAs the PLRB weighs Penn State’s appeal, the campus finds itself at a crossroads. For administrators, the question centres on how graduate research fits into academic training. For students, it is simpler: whether research assistants—who power much of the university’s scholarly output—will be recognised as workers with a seat at the bargaining table.Whatever the board decides, one thing is already clear. Penn State’s graduate students have found their voice—and they are determined to use it.
