Grad students might unionize

IU graduate student employees who hope to form a union and bargain for dental insurance are waiting for the results of a vote to take place next week by members of the Clerical Worker's Association.\nMembers of IU's Graduate Employee Organization approached the CWA last week and asked to join its ranks. The CWA already includes the grad student employees at the City University of New York.\n"We would be a local partner, but still an independent organization of our own," said Ursula McTaggert, a member of the GEO. "Organizing for grad students is increasing across the nation, and we need to get in on the action."\nAbout 3,000 graduate students are employed by IU as A.I.'s, graders and research assistants. \nIf the vote goes through, the next step will be to attract a majority of those employees to join. \nAt a mass meeting of the GEO Wednesday in Ballantine Hall to discuss the unionization process, about 40 students attended.\n"We're trying to get our name out there and talk to as many people as we can," McTaggert said.\nChris Langford, a masters student in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, said a successful union of grad students here will allow them to have more influence in their working conditions. \n"By organizing and negotiating, we have the power to say 'you should pay more attention to us.'" Langford said. "It brings democracy to the workplace. Working as an individual, that's impossible."\nTheir biggest priority is acquiring dental insurance, McTaggert said. IU is one of only two schools in the Big Ten that does not offer its grad student employees some form of dental coverage.\nConcerns raised at the meeting include union fees, faculty/student relations, which types of employees are eligible for the union and its long-term existence.\n"We're a transitory labor force," said Elizabeth Rettig, a grad student in the English department. "If you can't participate this year, I hope you will consider being involved in the future."\nMost Ph. D students stay at IU about five to seven years, which is the average union membership in today's public workforce, Langford said.\nAs for faculty/student relations, McTaggert cited a 1999 survey from the Chronicle of Higher Education stating that nine out of 10 professors felt the rapport with their graduate employees was not harmed by unionization.\n-- Contact staff writer Adam VanOsdol at avanosdo@indiana.edu.