Boston University's campus is set for a showdown as graduate workers, backed by SEIU 509, announced a strike beginning Monday, March 25, culminating months of stalled negotiations over wages, healthcare, and benefits. The decision, announced after a vote authorizing the bargaining committee to call for a strike, will see aggrieved workers voicing their concerns at a rally scheduled at 12 pm on Marsh Plaza, as per SEIU 509.
The university's grad workers, whose roles span teaching and research, are demanding better compensation to meet Boston's skyrocketing cost of living; they're currently receive stipends between $27,000 to $40,000, however, the MIT living wage calculator pegs the necessary income to afford living in the city at around $62,000. David Foley, President of SEIU 509, accused BU of failing to negotiate in good faith and withholding essential bargaining information, a charge which has led to five unfair labor practice filings at the NLRB, David Foley told SEIU 509.
These graduate workers aren't just asking for fair pay; they are also clamoring for comprehensive healthcare and robust benefits that include child care subsidies; this comes at a time when many within their ranks struggle to cover the basic essentials due to insufficient stipends. Pol Pardini Gispert, a BU Philosophy department graduate worker and parent, expressed the dire nature of their predicament to SEIU 509, "As a parent of an eight-month-old child, I cannot even begin to express how much my family is struggling," he said, describing the tough trade-offs that come with a $38,000 stipend.
Healthcare troubles are at the forefront of the conversation too, Maggie Boyd, a worker in the English department recounted to SEIU 509 her struggle following a medical emergency that led to substantial financial strain "Our health care plan makes it extremely difficult to access the comprehensive care a lot of us need," she said. Undergraduates like Samantha Betsko are joining in support, recognizing the vital role grad workers play in the educational ecosystem, "I support graduate workers because they have contributed so much to my experience as a student here," she told SEIU 509.
As the stage is set for the rally and the strike that follows, Boston University finds itself in the crosshairs of a labor dispute that underscores the financial and personal hardships of the academic workforce footing the institution's intellectual bill – the culmination of a drawn-out battle for recognition and substantial improvement in their conditions of employment.
