Editing Local 33–UNITE HERE

{{Short description|Labor union for Yale University graduate students}}
'''Local 33–UNITE HERE''', formerly the '''Graduate Employees and Students Organization''' (“GESO–[[UNITE HERE]]”), is a union of graduate student teachers and researchers at [[Yale University]] in [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]], [[Connecticut]].

Local 33 is affiliated with the international union [[UNITE HERE]], which also represents Yale University's service, maintenance, clerical, and technical workers. After more than three decades of organizing, Yale graduate workers submitted over 3,000 signed union authorization cards to the [[Hartford, Connecticut]], office of the [[National Labor Relations Board]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Yash |date=2022-10-25 |title=Local 33 triggers unionization process |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2022/10/25/local-33-triggers-unionization-process/ |access-date=2022-10-30 |website=Yale Daily News |language=en}}</ref> or NLRB, representing the greatest number of graduate workers who have ever supported unionizing. On January 9, 2023, Yale graduate workers won their union, with 1,860 members voting in favor and 179 voting against, a 10.4 to 1 ratio in favor of unionization.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salovey |first=Peter |date=2023-01-09 |title=Graduate Student Union Election Results |url=https://president.yale.edu/president/statements/graduate-student-union-election-results |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Yale University - Office of the President}}</ref> The proposed worker bargaining unit of about 4,000 graduate and professional school workers<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vaz |first=Megan |date=2023-01-30 |title=Union Yes: Local 33's three-decade road to recognition |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2023/01/30/union-yes-local-33s-three-decade-road-to-recognition/ |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Yale Daily News}}</ref> was the second largest election filing in the country in 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ospina |first1=Laura |title=After more than three decades of organizing, Yale's graduate student union won recognition last January |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2023/09/01/after-more-than-three-decades-of-organizing-yales-graduate-student-union-won-recognition-last-january/ |access-date=1 October 2023 |work=Yale Daily News |date=1 September 2023}}</ref>

Local 33 has received support from many prominent academics, including [[Corey Robin]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/FORUM-20-years-after-GESO-strike-many-of-goals-11581922.php|title=FORUM: 20 years after GESO strike, many of goals accomplished|first=Kathy M.|last=Newman|date=December 4, 2011|website=New Haven Register|access-date=September 7, 2020|archive-date=October 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014090037/https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/FORUM-20-years-after-GESO-strike-many-of-goals-11581922.php|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Michael Denning]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yale.edu/geso/links/denning.htm |title=GESO: Why a Graduate Student Union? |access-date=2015-05-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503093138/http://www.yale.edu/geso/links/denning.htm |archive-date=2015-05-03 }}</ref> [[David Graeber]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-05-31/people/take-it-from-the-top/full/ |title=Take It from the Top &#124; Village Voice |access-date=2015-05-14 |archive-date=2015-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083347/http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-05-31/people/take-it-from-the-top/full/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Michael Bérubé]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thebaffler.com/odds-and-ends/pistols-for-two-michael-berube-vs-chris-lehmann-2|title=Pistols for Two: Michael Bérubé vs. Chris Lehmann|date=January 14, 2013|website=The Baffler|access-date=September 7, 2020|archive-date=September 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200908075955/https://thebaffler.com/odds-and-ends/pistols-for-two-michael-berube-vs-chris-lehmann-2|url-status=live}}</ref> and elected officials, including Governor [[Dannel Malloy]], Senators [[Richard Blumenthal]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20160309/fiery-rhetoric-at-founding-convention-for-new-union-of-yale-grad-students/ |title=Fiery rhetoric at founding convention for new union of Yale grad students |access-date=2017-02-04 |archive-date=2017-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126145045/http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20160309/fiery-rhetoric-at-founding-convention-for-new-union-of-yale-grad-students |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Chris Murphy]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/geso_rally/|title=Hundreds March For GESO &#124; New Haven Independent|date=October 16, 2015|website=www.newhavenindependent.org|access-date=February 4, 2017|archive-date=February 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204170844/http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/geso_rally/|url-status=live}}</ref> New Haven Mayor [[Toni Harp]], US Senator [[Bernie Sanders]], and US Congresswoman [[Rosa DeLauro]].

==History==

In 2014, Local 33 took its campaign public at a rally on October 21, unveiling a petition with the photographs of over 1000 graduate students calling on Yale to negotiate the terms of a neutral election.<ref name="newhavenindependent.org">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/inspired_by_nyu_geso_reemerges_in_force/|title=Inspired By NYU, GESO Reemerges In Force &#124; New Haven Independent|date=October 22, 2014|website=www.newhavenindependent.org|access-date=May 14, 2015|archive-date=May 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518100245/http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/inspired_by_nyu_geso_reemerges_in_force/|url-status=live}}</ref> Local 33 is asking Yale to address four main issues: fairness in teaching and funding; mental healthcare for graduate students; racial and gender equity; and affordable childcare.<ref name="thenation.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/could-yale-graduate-students-be-next-unionize/|title=Could Yale Graduate Students Be the Next to Unionize?|first=Michelle|last=Chen|date=May 6, 2015|via=www.thenation.com|access-date=September 7, 2020|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028092826/https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/could-yale-graduate-students-be-next-unionize/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 29, 2016, following the NLRB's decision in ''Columbia'', Local 33 members in 10 academic departments filed election petitions with the NLRB.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/08/30/yale-graduate-students-look-to-unionize-after-nlrb-ruling/|title=Yale graduate students look to unionize after labor board ruling|first=Danielle|last=Douglas-Gabriel|via=www.washingtonpost.com|access-date=2016-09-15|archive-date=2016-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919170645/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/08/30/yale-graduate-students-look-to-unionize-after-nlrb-ruling/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On January 25, 2017, the Regional Director for Region 1 of the National Labor Relations Board ordered union elections for graduate teachers in the Departments of East Asian Languages and Literatures, English, Geology and Geophysics, History, History of Art, Math, Physics, Political Science, and Sociology.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20170125/yale-university-graduate-students-in-9-departments-given-right-to-hold-union-elections/ |title=Yale University graduate students in 9 departments given right to hold union elections |access-date=2017-02-03 |archive-date=2017-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126020259/http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20170125/yale-university-graduate-students-in-9-departments-given-right-to-hold-union-elections |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Activities==

{{Expand section|date=September 2015}}

In 2012, GESO hosted a conference on academic labor entitled, "The Changing University: An Interdisciplinary Symposium".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://csc.csuaaup.org/files/2011/11/VangWinter-13.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-05-14 |archive-date=2015-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923061123/http://csc.csuaaup.org/files/2011/11/VangWinter-13.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2014, GESO re-emerged with two "majority petition" rallies. The first, held on April 30, presented a petition to the Yale administration with over 1000 signatures of graduate students.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/05/04/309562121/what-do-yale-grad-students-want-a-union|title=What Do Yale Grad Students Want? A Union|website=NPR.org|access-date=2018-04-04|archive-date=2017-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105065130/http://www.npr.org/2014/05/04/309562121/what-do-yale-grad-students-want-a-union|url-status=live}}</ref> The second, on October 21, 2014, presented a petition with over 1000 photographs of graduate students paired with allies from the local unions, the community, and elected officials, including Governor [[Dannel Malloy]], New Haven Mayor [[Toni Harp]], and US Congresswoman [[Rosa DeLauro]].<ref name="nhregister.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhregister.com/business/article/Malloy-fires-up-Yale-grad-students-fighting-to-11376955.php|title=Malloy fires up Yale grad students fighting to unionize|date=October 22, 2014|website=New Haven Register|access-date=September 7, 2020|archive-date=September 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929204104/https://www.nhregister.com/business/article/Malloy-fires-up-Yale-grad-students-fighting-to-11376955.php|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2015, GESO released a report on the expansion of [[Yale College]], entitled "Teaching in a Growing Yale: Critical Questions."<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://local33.org/|title=Local 33 UNITE HERE – The union of graduate employees at Yale|access-date=2021-10-14|archive-date=2021-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009152951/https://local33.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> GESO presented a petition with over 1100 signatures to the university in May 2015.<ref name="thenation.com"/> The petition calls on Yale to "begin contract negotiations on issues of immediate concern including funding security, racial and gender equity, and mental health care."<ref name="auto"/>

==See also==

* [[List of graduate student employee unions]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.yaleunions.org/geso/}}

{{Portal bar|Organized labour}}

[[Category:UNITE HERE]]
[[Category:Yale University]]
[[Category:Graduate school trade unions]]
[[Category:Trade unions established in 1990]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Local 33-UNITE HERE}}