Fighting Against Unionization

[ComboOrgan]

Does anyone have any experience fighting unionization? I'd like to hear about your experiences.

For background, I'm a graduate student supported by a research assistantship at a large public university. There is a currently a movement to unionize graduate research assistants university-wide. For a number of reasons I am against it, and I want to do something.

 

[Gibonius]

There's always a movement to unionize graduate students and I don't know of a single one that was even close to successful. I don't know exactly how you'd "fight back," but ignoring it will probably give the same result.


Curious about what your stance is based on, PM would be fine if you don't want to talk about it here.

 

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by ComboOrgan

Does anyone have any experience fighting unionization? I'd like to hear about your experiences.

For background, I'm a graduate student supported by a research assistantship at a large public university. There is a currently a movement to unionize graduate research assistants university-wide. For a number of reasons I am against it, and I want to do something.

I suggest going and finding a bottle, preferably a big one. A magnum of wine will do fine. Now grease it up with vaseline and shove that ****** right up your ass.

 

[Grenadier]

The big problem with grad students unionizing is that the have zero (0) bargaining leverage. Many, if not most, grad students are on some sort of scholarship, if not a full ride. So they don't bring in a lot of money to the university. To the extent that graduate students do bring in money, the university has has degrees and professors, giving the university a fair bit of leverage. Of course, the grad students can always leave and go elsewhere, but try getting into another graduate program after explaining that you left your old one because you couldn't unionize.

 

[ComboOrgan]

Originally Posted by Gibonius

There's always a movement to unionize graduate students and I don't know of a single one that was even close to successful. I don't know exactly how you'd "fight back," but ignoring it will probably give the same result. Curious about what your stance is based on, PM would be fine if you don't want to talk about it here.
Well, this one might be successful. Teaching assistants are already unionized here, and they are trying to absorb research assistants. They had union people going to every RA desk with their spiel, and they got at least 50% of grad students to sign their petition, so it will be going to a popular vote. The union has the resources to mobilize their base, while the unionization opponents do not. I'm thinking about ways to mobilize unionization opponents. I'll PM you with my reasons.

 

[MrG]

Originally Posted by Grenadier

The big problem with grad students unionizing is that the have zero (0) bargaining leverage. Many, if not most, grad students are on some sort of scholarship, if not a full ride. So they don't bring in a lot of money to the university. To the extent that graduate students do bring in money, the university has has degrees and professors, giving the university a fair bit of leverage. Of course, the grad students can always leave and go elsewhere, but try getting into another graduate program after explaining that you left your old one because you couldn't unionize.
This is wrong in a number of ways, but the most salient issue is your misunderstanding of the mechanism by which grad students are funded. They are on assistantships, not scholarships. This is a crucial distinction, and it's a major reason that the remainder of the assertions in your post don't hold water.