Historic Contract Victory for Local 33 Breaks New Ground

A near unanimous vote of 1,705 to 10 ratified the first ever union contract of graduate workers Unite Here Local 33 and Yale University after many attempts spanning more than three decades. Voting took place over two days at the “union church” where Unite Here has its home at the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church.

A week earlier in the same room, the People's World Amistad Awards cheered an announcement by Paul Seltzer, a leader in Local 33 and a graduate teacher at Yale, that a tentative agreement had been reached.

“ I’m very excited to announce that after over thirty years, yesterday we reached a tentative agreement for our first contract with the university.,” said Seltzer. “That contract will include amazing pay raises, great health care, and new, important workplace protections. These things will be transformational for so many graduate workers at Yale, myself included.”

Seltzer said the tentative agreement would be discussed with union members leading up the ratification vote on the tentative agreement. In January the graduate workers had voted to join Local 33 by a 91% majority, leading to the collective bargaining process for their first contract covering 3,200 graduate teachers and researchers.

A contract survey identified priorities for negotiations including “higher pay, better health care, a comprehensive grievance procedure, protections for international workers, and improved benefits for families and dependents,” all of which were won, with over $2 million in assistance funds for Graduate Workers over the course of the five year contract:

 

“ I’m really excited that not only has our union’s fight been defining for building power for academic workers everywhere, but also that our union, which is primarily made up of young workers, is at the forefront of the resurgence of the labor movement in the U.S.” said Seltzer, adding to the packed house present for the Amistad Awards, “I’m very glad we can be here to celebrate so many of the other folks also making that happen.”

PhD graduate workers will receive at least 15 percent pay increases and dental insurance. International students will receive increased financial support related to immigration and visa issues, among other benefits.

Also included is “ strong language on accessibility and accommodations, health and safety, job security, and so much more.” as well as language establishing “ a strong and functional union that can effectively advocate for Graduate Workers.