NYU ON STRIKE!

As many of you know, New York University graduate research and teaching assistants have been on strike since November 9th. They are demanding that the university negotiate a fair contract immediately. On November 28th, the president of NYU, John Sexton sent a threatening letter to NYU graduate employees, demanding that they end the strike on December 5th, or else they would be suspended from teaching for a year, and would lose their guaranteed stipend for a year. Despite this, union members voted overwhelmingly to stay out on strike. December 7th is a crucial day for the Graduate Student Organizing Committee. Today, the New York City labor movement and its allies will rally in Washington Square Park in conjunction with this year's celebration of International Human Rights Day. There are 2 ways to support these student workers today! 1) Click below to send an e-mail to email President Sexton, Provost David McLaughlin, and Vice Presidents Jacob Lew, Cheryl Mills and Terrance Nolan to demand that he stop threatening striking graduate employees, and that NYU immediately open negotiations with the Graduate Student Organizing Committee. 2) Pick up the phone and call the following numbers to demand that NYU stop its anti-union campaign by doing the following: President John Sexton 212-998-1234 Provost David McLaughlin 212-998-2415 VP Jacob Lew 212-998-4090 VP Cheryl Mills 212-998-4095 VP Terrance Nolan 212-998-2257 Academic Resource Center 212-998-4411 -disband the call for a company union through the Graduate Affairs Council -open negotiations -stop threatening to blacklist strikers Unfortunately, the NYU employees aren't the only ones fighting for their right to organize. A new report from American Rights at Work finds that anti-union behavior is widespread - Click Below to Check out a Flyer For More Details! http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/docUploads/Why%20aren%27t%20more%20workers%20forming%20unions%5Fhalf%2Epdf

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Negotiate Now!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to demand that you open negotiations with the Graduate Students Organizing Committee/UAW 2110 immediately. Further, you must cease threatening striking workers and end the scab operation of the Academic Resource Center. I will be watching this situation closely, and strongly urge you to do the right thing.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
December 04, 2005

Background Information

The Graduate Student Organizing Committee/United Auto Workers Local 2110 (GSOC) is the union of graduate student employees at New York University in New York City. After a successful organizing drive, grad assistants signed the first ever contract at a private university in 2001. This historic first contract raised minimum pay levels 40% on average, established employer-paid health benefits and addressed other graduate employee working conditions such as paid leave, workload protection, health and safety standards and a fair grievance procedure.

In August 2005, the university announced that it would not bargain with us, citing a recent Bush-appointee dominated National Labor Relations Board decision. The case in question does NOT prevent NYU from negotiating a new contract with our union and respecting the democratically expressed wishes of its graduate assistants. Since announcing it would refuse to bargain with our union, the NYU Administration has made significant cuts in our health benefits.

After numerous demonstrations of pro-union support, including one on August 31st, where over 1000 people rallied at NYU in support of GSOC, and 76 people were arrested in a peaceful act of civil disobedience blockading the entrances to the offices of the central administration, NYU announced it would not negotiate with the union. On November 9th, GSOC went out on strike for recognition of the union. This past week saw two mass rallies in support of the union. On 11/30, over 200 NYU undergraduates, faculty members and GSOC activists stormed the NYU library to deliver a letter to President Sexton. On 12/2, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, Congressman Jerry Nadler joined many other labor leaders and politicians to denounce NYU's union-busting at a mass rally on GSOC's picket line.

On November 28th, the president of NYU, John Sexton sent a threatening letter to NYU graduate employees, demanding that they end the strike on December 5th, or else they would be suspended from teaching for a year, and would lose their guaranteed stipend for a year. Despite this, union members voted overwhelmingly to stay out on strike.

December 7th is a crucial day for GSOC. On that day, the New York City labor movement and its allies will rally in Washington Square Park in conjunction with this year's celebration of International Human Rights Day.