Graduate Student Workers Form Union at NYS College of Ceramics

ALFRED, N.Y. – Graduate student workers at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University (NYSCC) have demanded that their employer recognize their union, represented by the Graduate Student Employees Union–Communications Workers of America (GSEU-CWA) Local 1104. The student workers filed a petition on Tuesday with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a union election to represent 58 graduate student workers.

NYSCC student workers join a growing movement of graduate students forming and joining unions at campuses across the country. Graduate student workers perform core work at the college, including teaching undergraduate classes and conducting vital research into the fields of biomaterials and materials science engineering. Now, the workers are organizing to improve pay and benefits at the college.

“As a graduate student in the MFA program at NYSCC Alfred University, I decided to unionize because of the gross inequities in pay and benefits for graduate workers,” said C. Hancock, an MFA candidate. “I hope that through our successful organizing, we can deepen ties across the schools of NYSCC as well as improving conditions for graduate student workers, which will ultimately strengthen the entire university community. NYS College of Ceramics works because we do. As student workers, we want a voice on the job.”

CWA represents student and campus workers at public universities and private colleges, including graduate student workers at Fordham University. GSEU-CWA Local 1104 represents more than 5,000 members on campuses across New York State.

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

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