On Wednesday, September 28 at 11:00 am, Greater Lafayette Democratic Socialists of America (GLDSA) and the American Association of University Professors Purdue (AAUP) will hold a public rally at the Purdue Memorial Arch to demonstrate solidarity with the Indiana University Graduate Workers Coalition – UE Union (IGWC-UE) in their fight for union recognition at IU Bloomington.
For over a year, IUB graduate workers have been fighting for the right to form a union and collectively bargain with the IUB Administration over wages, benefits, and working conditions. This summer, IGWC-UE won significant victories when the IUB Administration agreed to raise stipends from $18,000 to $22,000 per year and waive some mandatory administrative fees. Along the way, the IUB Faculty Senate voted overwhelmingly to support the strikers, and many community members, including Bloomington City Council, have endorsed their demands. However, graduate workers are still fighting for union recognition and better working conditions. If IUB fails to meet their demands by Monday, September 26, IGWC-UE will vote on resuming the strike they began this spring.
GLDSA and AAUP-Purdue stand in solidarity with IU graduate workers, IGWC-UE. In addition to the planned rally, if the IUB graduate workers go on strike, a group of Purdue students, faculty, staff and community members will join a caravan to travel down to Bloomington to join the picket line on Friday, September 30.