Working People31 Mar 2023

University of Michigan Grads Strike for a Living Wage (w/ Alejo Stark)

Graduate student-workers at the University of Michigan are on strike for the second time in three years, officially hitting the picket line this week. Speaking to The Michigan Daily, Amir Fleischmann, chair of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) Contracts Committee, said, "Grad workers are very frustrated. They're struggling to pay rent. They're struggling to afford childcare. They lack access to gender-affirming care. And I think we're saying enough is enough. The University needs to give us a fair contract now." On top of that, the University of Michigan administration is once again seeking to weaponize the courts to end the strike, filing an Unfair Labor Practice Charge against the union, claiming that the strike violates the university's existing contract with the union. In this urgent mini-cast, we talk with Alejo Stark, a grad worker and rank-and-file member of GEO, to get an update on the strike, the response from the administration, and what listeners can do to show support for GEO and its members.

Disclaimer: Max is a former GEO member and earned his PhDs from the University of Michigan.

Additional links/info below...

GEO website, Facebook page, Twitter page, and Instagram
GEO Strike Fund
Miles Anderson & Matthew Shanbom, The Michigan Daily, "GEO Commences Strike Against UMich at 10:24 a.m."
Meredith Bruckner, Click On Detroit, "University of Michigan Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Striking Student Workers"
Leah Graham, Barbara Collins, Emma Stein, & Liat Weinstein, The Michigan Daily, "University of Michigan Asks Court to Issue Injunction to Halt Graduate Student Strike"

Permanent links below...

Working People Patreon page
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Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song

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