Graduate student opinions on unionization vary
Kate Galbreath
Daily Egyptian
kgalbs22@siu.edu
Graduate assistants are still divided over whether or not to support the recent push for unionization.
Technically, graduate assistants cannot legally form a union in Illinois because they are students as well as employees. However, recent strides such as organization of the non-tenure faculty at SIU Edwardsville suggest to supporters that this will not always be the case.
Steve Leek, a graduate assistant, in the English Department, introduced the idea to Graduate Professional Student Council representatives because they would be those directly affected if unionization was successful in the future.
Leek and other supporters of unionization believe the working conditions of many graduate assistants to be unfair because the individuals can often end up at the helm of the department doing most of the work.
Graduate assistants receive a monthly stipend and waived tuition, but still pay general student fees.
John Keller, a teaching assistant in the Geology Department and member of GPSC, said he approves of workload, but not pay.
"The tuition is usually waived," he said. "I have to agree that is one of the nice things, but I think the monthly stipend should be a little higher.
"I'm not as burdened [with workload] as the English TAs usually are. They have an inordinate amount of grading to do, whereas I do not."
Keller said he believes unionizing is a "really bad" idea.
"Essentially if we unionize, we're not going to be able to bargain a raise in salary," he said.
Keller said he takes 12 hours of class and pays $530 per semester in fees, which unionizing would hopefully lower. He said lower fees would benefit graduate assistants, but the negatives of unionization outweigh the benefits.
Tamara Young, an administrative assistant in the Business Department, said she has not heard much discussion about the push for unionization.
"I think they [workload and pay] are fair," she said. "I have an administrative assistantship, and I don't feel like they use me. The fees are probably pretty fair, but I wouldn't mind [a decrease]."
Jennifer Mayer, also a graduate assistant in the Business Department, said she agreed with Young that the workload and pay are "fair and balanced."
The History Department met Monday evening and unionization was on the table for discussion.
"My personal opinion is I have no problem with them," history teaching assistant Donald Force said. "I knew what I was getting into, so it's nothing unusual."
Force said he is more interested in being a graduate assistant for the teaching experience, but admits the "extra cash in his pocket" is also a factor.
Chris Vogl, a graduate assistant for the Philosophy Department, also said his primary goal for working is acquiring the teaching experience he needs.
"I'm not really in it for the money," he said. "The workload is very heavy with balancing my own work and my classes, but it's part of the training in philosophy. Most jobs are teaching jobs."
Vogl also said he agreed with the student fees, and did not find them to be unreasonable.
GPSC is scheduled to further discuss the issue at their last meeting of the year next Tuesday. Booklets regarding national movements to support unionization are available in the GPSC office in the Student Center.
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Daily Egyptian Spring 04 
