Pitt has issued guidelines for faculty members to use in conversations with graduate students about their union effort. We are disappointed by the anti-union tone of these guidelines, and believe that the graduate students should be allowed to make their own decision about unionization. If you support the graduate student union effort, keep in mind that you are not a manager and therefore not obligated to transmit anti-union messages to your graduate students. Here are a few tips for pro-union faculty who want to support the graduate effort while staying within the confines of the law:
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• We encourage all faculty members to tell the graduate students they work with that it is up to them to make their own decisions about signing a union card. It is a good idea to tell grads that it would be against the law for the university or any faculty member to retaliate against them for signing a card or participating in the union campaign, and that you will not interfere in any way with this personal decision.

 

• It is also a good idea also tell graduate students that they are free to talk with union organizers, and reassure them you support their right to organize if they wish to do so.

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• You may also express your personal support for the right of graduate employees to choose to unionize. You may also discuss the important role graduate student labor plays in the day-to-day functioning of the university.

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• When speaking to graduate students, you may describe your own experiences in a graduate union, and you may discuss examples of improvements that unionized grad students have won at other institutions (many examples are available here).​

   

• It may be helpful to let graduate students know that, whatever the ultimate outcome of their union campaign may be, you are committed to preserving a positive working relationship and facilitating the success of the graduate students you mentor.

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• You may NOT make promises about what students will win by unionizing, or ask students whether or not they support the effort. You may NOT tell them that you think they should or should not sign a union card. You may NOT offer incentives (or disincentives) of any kind that are contingent upon a student’s decision to sign (or not to sign) a union card.

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If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at info@pittfaculty.org.