Now that the GEO has officially voted to form a strike committee, the campus must wait to see how and if class schedules will change and how faculty will react.
John Prussing, a member of the Senate Executive Committee from the Engineering department, remarked on the faculty reactions to a strike. “It will vary quite a bit across the campus. Not all departments have undergrad TAs, and so they will cope differently from departments that do,” according to Prussing. No one person can speak for the reactions of faculty across the campus, but GEO members do hope that the faculty will honor their strike.
Alison Goebel, a graduate TA in the Anthropology department and an active member of the GEO, hopes that the faculty will support all GEO members and not cross picket lines, except to attend critical research. “I hope they join us for work actions–picket lines, rallies, informational meetings, and so on. In solidarity with striking assistants, I hope they cancel classes and write letters, emails, and faxes of support to the provost, Chancellor, President, and, most importantly, the board of trustees.” While the strike, with a tentative plan to begin November 16, may cause inconvenience, Goebel hopes faculty will help convey to undergraduate students and administrators that such actions can lead to a higher quality public education.
Miriam Sweeney, a GEO member and student of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, believes faculty should understand a strike as both graduate students and the faculty work to provide a high level of scholarship and teaching excellence for students. “As such, it is appropriate that graduate students receive fair compensation–a living wage–and benefits for their hard work. A work stoppage is not the end goal, rather the last resort of a union trying to be heard,” Sweeney said.
Various reactions can be expected from the faculty on the breaking of the news of 92% of GEO votes to authorize a strike, but GEO members hope the faculty will stand behind them as they continue to struggle for a suitable contract.
