Reflecting a national trend toward the unionization of graduate students, about 50 students met last night to explore the possibility of organizing University graduate students into a union with a national affiliation.
"It's important to organize graduate students in all departments to fight not just in a haphazard manner, but rather to have a well-funded, well-organized foundation to fight constantly," said Ben Lee, one of the graduate students advocating unionization.
The push for unionization is being led by a small, largely informal group of students known as the Graduate Labor Alliance. The students came together last spring after the graduate students' fight to get the University to provide them with less expensive health care ended in partial victory.
Last April, University administrators recommended that the Board of Visitors institute a $900 per person annual subsidy for graduate student health care. At its June meeting, the Board approved funding for such coverage for teaching assistants, research assistants, or students with fellowships who earn at least $5,000 per year.
Richard Verlander, a representative of the Communication Workers of America, spoke with interested students last night in Clark Hall about potential initiatives.
Verlander told students that the CWA would help them to lobby the state legislature and organize media campaigns.
"If they were to decide to give their man-and-womanpower to the graduate students, it would be a big difference," Lee said.
Such a union would comply with guidelines because Virginia is a right-to-work state, according to GLA member Bill Albertini, which means employees cannot be required to join a union and that employees are prohibited from engaging in collective bargaining.
Nonetheless, the GLA contends that a union would be able to influence the University. There is also the possibility of affiliating with a large national union.
Justin Gifford, a GLA member, said his group aims to start "convincing graduate students that this is what they want."
According to Todd Price, president of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Council, opinion remains somewhat divided on the issue.
"Sentiment among representatives of the council is that the small group of people pushing this should involve the Graduate Student Council and the graduate student body more," Price said.
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