UMD Graduate Labor Union

Struck this morning by how the win wasn’t from the UC system itself pushing back—it was its worker power through *unions* and aligned groups like @aaup.org defending UC interests, even though admin itself wasn’t.
There’s some kind of lesson here

Protect PTK Researchers at UMD Higher education is under attack from a federal administration that seeks to undermine our research infrastructure for political gain. Faculty at UMD conducting crucial research in fields like climate...

The majority of UMD faculty are nontenure researchers on federal funding. Hundreds of our public servants are threatened by MAGA science cuts. We're asking our bosses for simple things to keep people whole or provide dignified exits.

If you work at UMD or have worked with us, please sign and share

A graduate worker wearing a high-vis vest holds a sign which reads "Honk if you [heart symbol] unions". In the distance, grad workers march along the sidewalk

UMD graduate workers, many wearing red, march and chant along the sidewalk. A sign in the foreground reads, "If we don't get it, shut it down!"

A group of UMD grad workers standing along a street. Many are holding UAW signs.

UMD grad workers line the entire sidewalk stretching down Baltimore Ave during the GLU Majority March.

UMD admin, take notice: 1000 grads came out to our Majority March on Oct 1 to say that we're done playing by your rules. Negotiate with us now, or we WILL shut it down!

Shout out to our allies @umdydsa.bsky.social @uam-umd.bsky.social MD/DC AFL-CIO and others for joining us!

University of Maryland grad workers rally for union recognition Graduate workers at the University of Maryland rallied in College Park demanding union recognition, citing low pay and limited protections compared to the county’s cost of living.

"At least 200 red-clad members of UMD Graduate Labor Union participated in its Majority March for Union Recognition at the University of Maryland on Wednesday, demanding that the school recognize them and begin bargaining."

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/10/01/graduate-workers-union-rally/

A banner advertising the UMD Graduate Labor Union Majority March on October 1st, 2025 at 1PM. The text reads: UMD Grad Workers demand job security + neutral grievance procedure + parental leave + international grad protections + subsidized healthcare + livable wages + disability justice + childcare subsidies + subsidized transit + equitable workplaces + paid vacation time + enforceable contracts + just cause protections - Collective bargaining Now! Underneath is a stylized image of grad workers picketing along McKeldin Mall.

UMD admin are still ignoring our democratic demand for union recognition while our working conditions are actively getting worse. On October 1st, 1-3PM, grad workers all across campus are marching to show that we’re not backing down – we want RECOGNITION NOW! RSVP here: forms.gle/jocuj9awDCtT...

The attack on student unions is an attack - in concert with Trump - on the better version of the university we are fighting for.

Thank you for covering our and @hgsuuaw.bsky.social's contract campaigns against corporate universities.

Because UMD refuses to recognize grads as employees, our labor rights are constantly violated and UMD is never held accountable. We change that by winning our union!

In addition, a significant number of grads had their contracts changed w/o prior notification - in some cases people are working 40hrs but only getting paid slightly above the 20hr rate. Grads are afraid to speak up about this because we lack protections against unjust firing

Many grads live paycheck to paycheck. Missing pay means we miss rent and can't afford food. UMD knows this via their own survey and there is still no urgency to fix THEIR mistakes that are causing us financial stress. And the number of affected grads this summer is unprecedented

When we were finally able to find someone to speak to in the financial office, they told us they hadn't heard about grad pay issues, even though grads spoke to college-level admin over a week ago and were promised our concerns would be elevated

A group of Graduate Labor Union members stand outside an administration building holding signs about how wage theft is illegal and grads deserve a recognized union

UMD is once again stealing grad wages - 100+ grads across multiple colleges and departments are missing pay for their work this summer. Yesterday, we went to demand answers from admin and remind them that UMD works because we do and wage theft is illegal!

Congrats to Penn postdocs on winning their union! 🎉

Albane Thery and Geronimo Velazquez | International postdocs and research associates are ready to vote “yes” for our union Guest columnists Albane Thery and Geronimo Velazquez argue that unionization can help address the specific challenges faced by international Postdocs and Research Associates at Penn.

"Organizing and building collective power together as international scholars is the best way for us to achieve a fairer workplace and less precarious lives."

— @rapup-uaw.bsky.social

www.thedp.com/article/2025...

Open letter to Columbia administration on replacing union labor in the Core Curriculum Here is the open letter we are asking our allies in higher education to sign on to. We will periodically update signatories in the document. It would be very helpful to us if you can provide your full...

The cynicism is appalling, even for Columbia.

We call on our fellow workers in higher ed: sign the open letter to CU & pledge not to replace our labor. tinyurl.com/core-open-letter

Let's fight together for more just and democratic workplaces for all

Image of the Alma Mater statue on Columbia campus, with text: "Columbia is replacing union labor"

Columbia is replacing union labor as we negotiate a new contract.

Admin is emailing other universities to recruit teachers, while refusing to reappoint returning SWC instructors, who still don't know if they will teach or get paid in September.

This is textbook union busting

A graphic with a bold orange border and a white background features the logo of UC-AFT Local 1474, which includes a blue outline of the state of California with a flame inside and the words “UC-AFT LOCAL 1474.” To the right, bold blue text reads: “UC-AFT Joins CFA in demanding the release of Prof. Jonathan Caravello.” Below, the body text states that UC-AFT calls for the immediate release of Professor Jonathan Caravello, who was reportedly beaten and abducted by ICE during a Thursday raid in Ventura County. The union expresses solidarity with immigrant colleagues, students, and neighbors, and joins the California Faculty Association in urging elected officials—including Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, Representatives Salud Carbajal and Julia Brownley, and State Senator Monique Limón—to take action and demand accountability for what are described as “kidnappings in broad daylight.” The statement ends with a call for ICE, DHS, and CBP to stop invading communities.

UC-AFT joins the call for the immediate release of Professor Jonathan Caravello, who was beaten and abducted by ICE on Thursday at a raid in Ventura County. @cfaunited.bsky.social

“These politically motivated attacks jeopardized medical and scientific progress and threatened the jobs of researchers studying climate change, renewable energy, cancer, viral pandemics, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s,” said Brandon Mancilla, Director of @uawregion9a.bsky.social

ADD YOUR NAME: Sign the Open Letter in Support of NIH Staff Join the courageous and committed National Institutes of Health (NIH) public servants by adding your name now.

What does 18,000+ brave signatories look like standing together in massive solidarity with the #NIH heroes of the historic Bethesda Declaration??...

Find out by adding YOUR NAME to our #NIHLove letter here! -

actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...

#StandUpForScience
#BethesdaDeclaration
#StopTrump

This isn’t just about David.

It’s about the right to organize. The right to speak out.
The right to be safe. The right to be treated like a human.

From this rally in Chicago to actions across the country—we won’t back down.

#FreeDavidEndRaids

‘Unrecognizable and highly toxic’: NIH staffers speak out ahead of Senate hearing on budget cuts - The Boston Globe More than 300 staffers signed a letter to the NIH director urging him to stop politically motivated cuts to research grants.

"More than 300 staffers signed a letter to the NIH director urging him to stop politically motivated cuts and delays to research grants."

@nihfellowsunited.bsky.social

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/09/m...

Postdocs: Penn is preventing a vote that would protect the workers who help it succeed | Opinion Penn's postdoctoral workers and research associates want to unionize — like the grad student workers did. But the university is putting obstacles in their way, say Marshall Padilla and Emily Perkins.

Read what two Postdocs have to say about Penn choosing to fight its own researchers forming a union in a recent op-ed in @inquirer.com www.inquirer.com/opinion/comm...
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Tell ACLU-D.C. Management to Stop Their Union-Busting Tactics! One week before Thanksgiving, one week after a union action, and one year into bargaining our first contract, ACLU-D.C. management unlawfully laid off two union members, or nearly 15% of our bargainin...

Tell ACLU-D.C. executives to stop union busting! actionnetwork.org/letters/c70b...

Four WAWU members at the front of a march holding a large poster with handwritten grievances. More members walk behind them holding picket signs

9 WAWU members holding picket signs and cheering

A medium close-up of a large crowd of WAWU members holding picket signs and listening to a speaker

A group of about 50 WAWU members marching with picket signs

Operational Student Employees at Western Washington University are ON STRIKE demanding union recognition and a fair contract. Support OSEs by joining the picket lines and contributing to the hardship fund! givebutter.com/WAWUOSE @uaw.org

Campus services disrupted as 1,200 WWU student employees walk off the job University administrators say they will not recognize the bargaining unit without legislation requiring it.

“We’re asking for the same rights as our peers — basic working protections for the jobs we do that Western depends on, and that enables us to work our way through an undergraduate education which is getting harder and harder," said worker Mathew Woorden.

www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/a...

It's time our academic institutions recognize these attempts to criminalize Chinese academics are part of the larger assault on immigrants, academic freedom, and civil liberties and speak up to protect their workers! [4/4]

Chinese Students and Scholars Faced Targeting Before Trump. Now It’s Escalating. As the US and China jockey for dominance, anti-Chinese bigotry is driving visa denials for students and scholars.

And while administrators say international grads are a "valuable part of our community", this isn't the first time they've failed to protect immigrant graduate researchers and faculty: truthout.org/articles/chi... [3/4]

UMD is happy to profit off the teaching and research labor of our Chinese colleagues, but won't stand up to protect them when the government makes baseless and racist claims that they're national security threats [2/4]

We signed the letter featured in this article with our colleagues at UIUC, Stanford, Purdue, USC & others to call on our universities to reject the weaponization of "national security" to target Chinese academics. [1/4]

Today, NIH Fellows United and our colleagues walked out of NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya’s Town Hall. Dr. Bhattacharya's tenure at NIH has been marked with damaging cuts to NIH personnel and biomedical research funding.

A thread: NIH Fellows United is committed to showing up, even when leadership won’t. 🧪