Graduate student workers are the backbone of higher education
Over the last year, graduate student workers at multiple college campuses have begun to form Unions.
At the core of it, graduate student workers are just like anyone else holding an everyday job. They have families to support, groceries to buy, and work that needs to be done all while trying to earn their advanced degrees.
However, in the past, and currently many student workers are paid a wage that makes these tasks virtually impossible to accomplish. This is especially true if they are trying to support themselves alone or are the main breadwinner of their families.
While some schools offer medical insurance (shoutout to my school on this front) others do not.
Additionally, many students are paid far less than a liveable wage to complete their duties as research assistants or teaching assistants. For some schools, graduate student workers do benefit at least partially from tuition remissions (again, thank you to my school). But, others are forced to pay their tuition out of the graduate worker wage, such as students at NMSU who make approximately $11,000 a year, after taking out the over $6,000 for tuition.
Even if tuition reimbursement is guaranteed, many student workers still depend on small, poverty level stipends, to support themselves or their families during their education and work.
In attempts to negotiate fair pay, healthcare, and tuition reimbursement many students at multiple schools including Harvard, MIT, and NMSU have organized to create Unions.
I have found while trying to maintain informed on this subject, that the narratives from the students have been relatively silenced in coverage of the events. I think there is a misunderstanding of what student workers do in schools and just how much higher education depends on them.
Graduate student workers are the backbone of higher education. Graduate student workers grade tests, teach classes, and do research, among so many other things.
Graduate student workers are consistently asked to work over the hours that are required in their contract while simultaneously maintaining their academic rigor. They support their professors, develop new research, and are often the first line of communication for undergraduate students.
Graduate student workers are just what it sounds like, they are workers. Workers deserve to be paid for their effort, their contribution, and their time.
I was lucky to work with professors who were absolutely incredible, get my tuition paid, and felt respected during my time. However, my stipend was still not enough to survive on and I widely depended on financial aid to supplement rent, food, and other living expenses. But, I am one of the lucky ones.
There are a variety of stories of workers dealing with harassment during their time as student workers. Fearful of losing their stipend, tuition, or healthcare, many of them remain silent. There are stories of people who are consistently overworked or asked to go above and beyond their contract requirements. There are even stories of workers that don’t get contracts that they can fall back on.
These stories need to be heard more. The narratives of students are so often silenced and it is time that they come into the limelight.
If you have graduate student workers in your life, I recommend you talk with them to fully understand the nuance of stress, anxiety, and pressure experienced by many graduate students.
If the workers in your school are attempting to unionize to maintain their safety, pay, and mental stability; support them.
If you are a graduate student worker, know that I see you.
Graduate student workers don’t deserve to be starving. They deserve so much more.