Temple Grad Students Win Right to Unionize

In the latest of a series of decisions across the country expanding the right of graduate teaching assistants to unionize, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) ruled Tuesday that graduate students at Temple University in Philadelphia are university employees, which may help in their fight for collective bargaining.

According to Temple University Graduate Students Association (TUGSA) steering committee member Robert L. Callahan, the teaching assistants' union, which was formed three and a half years ago, is now closer than ever to winning official recognition from the university.

"This changes a lot and it's a tremendous boost. Everyone here is happy about it," Callahan said.

A terse statement released Wednesday by Temple University said the PLRB "has remanded the case back to the Hearing Examiner for further finding of fact."

Temple University officials were not available yesterday for further comment.

Callahan characterized any continuing legal action as a technical issue.

"It's our hope that now that we've had the authoritative word on the subject, they are not going to waste time wrangling," he said.

The ruling only affects "state-related" colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. As such, it will have no effect on Harvard graduate students: Only the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has the power to grant union rights to students at private universities.

The NLRB granted New York University graduate students the right to unionize in April.

In contrast to some universities such as Yale which have been torn by the question of grad student unions, Harvard graduate students seem to be content. According to Harvard Graduate Student Council President Lisa L. Laskin, Harvard graduate students are treated comparatively well and tend to have other, more pressing concerns.

"In an ideal world, students could choose if they want teaching [sections] as part of their programs," Laskin said. "But most of us have to teach to pay our bills."

The six-page PLRB decision reversed an earlier one that the PLRB said was in conflict with a ruling last December by the NLRB. In that ruling, the NLRB ruled that interns and residents at Boston Medical Center were employees, not students.

Callahan said the top items on the TUGSA agenda are increasing health benefits, raising wages and ensuring affirmative action and anti-discrimination programs.