Empowering ourselves to be better researchers through unionization
Teachers unionize to reduce class sizes so they can focus on providing the best education possible to their students. Nurses unionize to fight understaffing so they can give their patients quality care. We’re unionizing so we can focus on conducting world-class research.
Fighting (against MIT) for math
Like many in California, I am battling my local school board and the state Board of Education to maintain high quality standards in math, to keep calculus available to high school students, and to negate the idea that right answers and showing your work in math are examples of “white supremacy.”
International student workers deserve fair treatment
During this crisis and in the months since, we’ve spoken to many fellow international student workers who believe that MIT’s policies often do not reflect or respond to our needs and that forming a graduate student worker union at MIT is the best way we can compel the Institute to respect our rights and well-being.
The MIT GSU and UE will bring a history of social justice to the future of MIT
In the wake of the resounding endorsement of the MIT Graduate Student Union (GSU) by MIT’s Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA), the MIT GSU wants to highlight our prioritization of one of the most-voiced graduate worker demands at MIT: a material, institutional commitment to racial and social justice.
Graduate student-leaders: only a union can secure real change at MIT
Instead of making progress, we witnessed the MIT administration unilaterally ignore inconvenient recommendations, dismiss and exploit the service of graduate student-workers, and resist the changes we urgently need.
Institute for Work and Employment Research faculty comment on potential graduate student unionization
As faculty in the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER), we study a wide range of work and employment relations topics, including union management relations. We do not express a view on whether or not MIT graduate students should be represented by a union; that decision is theirs to make.
Why it’s time to leave social media
Imagine a life where you simply sit and soak in the beautiful fall scenery instead of using your phone to read the latest headlines on Twitter.
The UE isn’t the union the GSU claims it is
I support our right to unionize. I support the concept of graduate unionization at MIT. And I would support the Graduate Student Union (GSU) if they were unionizing without the UE.
Director of MIT Medical responds to “How MIT health insurance fails graduate workers”
We offer our graduate students competitive and reasonably priced health and dental insurance, provide generous support for students facing medical and other financial hardships, and work collaboratively with students to improve our delivery of medical services.
MIT Democrats endorses candidates for the Cambridge City Council and Boston mayoral race
This November, in the Cambridge City Council race and the Boston Mayor’s race, we have a chance to make our voices heard as MIT students and elect local representatives that better reflect our generation, diverse backgrounds, and the issues that matter to us as students.
A $6,000 bill and inadequate coverage: How MIT health insurance fails graduate workers
Despite MIT’s extreme wealth, many of its graduate workers with chronic health needs do not receive affordable care with the currently-offered student insurance; moreover, relief funds meant to help with unexpected medical costs are poorly publicized and can be denied on arbitrary technicalities to the graduate workers who need them most.
Censorship and the Carlson Lecture from an alum’s perspective
The events around the invited Carlson Lecture and views of Professor Abbot demonstrate how censoring speech can result in an increase in publicity for hurtful views.
MIT must not cancel scientific presentations over societal pressure
We need to listen to the Abbots and Marinovics even if we don’t entirely agree with them. Let’s not do anything to limit or stifle scientific work and/or presentations.
With a union, graduate working conditions become an institutional priority
By taking decisive collective action and forming a union, graduate students are making our research and working conditions a priority for the vast resources of the Institute.
Why we do not need a graduate student union at MIT
MIT knows that we know best which issues are important to us and shares our goal of improving the holistic graduate student experience as much as possible within their financial constraints.
Some concerns about unionization from a graduate student
The prospects of unionizing are unclear, and the trade-offs to this point have been poorly defined by the GSU. This is not a free lunch, and, indeed, it is uncertain whether any manna is forthcoming.
Crossing the line
I want to instead focus on what I see as the more serious problem at hand that gives place for racist acts of this kind to manifest: borders.
The bikes are blue — and I am too
Bluebikes, if you are reading this, let me suggest a partial solution for you. Use the gig economy.
The issue with preaching kindness: a response to Institute-wide communications
We need to go beyond “deliberat[ing] how we treat each other” and internalize the urgency of our responsibility to address the foundational issues that allow incidents such as this to occur.
MIT Divest releases Climate Conscious Pledges
Despite taking these important steps, MIT has once again refused to include divestment or any other explicit action against fossil fuel companies in the CAP.