Syracuse University graduate employees have voted to form a union after receiving considerable backing from eligible student voters.
During a two-day election process, 764 eligible graduate students casted their votes with 728 voting to unionize, according to Syracuse University News.
Graduate student employees claim they sought out a union due to low stipends, high workloads, poor healthcare benefits, and lack of support for international and marginalized graduate student employees, according to CNY Central.
State Senator Rachel May joined Syracuse University graduate workers and is pleased that they finally get to unionize.
"SU graduate workers teach, grade papers, and research while carrying a heavy class load, so they deserve a living wage for the long hours and hard work," May said. "I’m excited they’re finally being recognized, and I look forward to how Syracuse Graduate Employees United improves living and working conditions for current and future graduate workers."
Vice Chancellor Gretchen Ritter said that now that the election is complete, University and Union representatives will meet to discuss a possible schedule for negotiating a union contract.
Editor's Note: 88.3 WAER employs Syracuse University graduate students.