Andrea Haverkamp

LETTER: Oregon State University has a grad worker union, and UNM should too

I am writing from Oregon State University, where our 1,800 graduate researchers and teaching assistants collectively formed a union 20 years ago. Our union, Coalition of Graduate Employees, has tirelessly fought for our basic living conditions year after year against an administration dead set on paying us as little as possible and with little accountability. Through hard work we now have incredible healthcare, protections for international students and LGBTQ+ workers, tuition remission and a livable wage. It has taken us 20 years to get to where we are now but it really changes lives. Graduate employees are parents, family members and loved ones, and we deserve to be treated fairly. Although administrations fight us, we continue to push forth, and will always show up for our peers.