BARGAINING
UPDATES

July 18, 2025

We are outraged by the email from Vice Chancellor James Gallaher stating that our fellow grad workers “will not be included in the annual increase process or eligible for annual stipend increases.” In response, we have proposed an increase in stipends, as well as language that prevents Pitt from stripping away our current health insurance benefits. The administration must come to the table and bargain on these topics and cannot make unilateral decisions on compensation for grad workers (TAs, TFs, GSRs, and GSAs).  

We invited some of our coworkers to sit in on our session, during which we read testimonials related to health, safety, and accommodations to the Pitt administrators sitting across the table. These testimonials detailed unlawful discrimination, a lack of supervisory accountability, mistreatment of graduate student employees, and a denial of appropriate accommodations, which are contrary to Pitt’s claims that we already have sufficient protections. Along with these testimonials, we delivered counterproposals for health and safety, inclusive work environments (now titled workplace wellbeing), academic freedom (now titled just cause in the exercise of professional judgment), public safety, and professional rights. All of these proposals were gutted by the administration in previous sessions, and we refuse to let them deny these protections to grad workers. Our counterproposals maintain that grad workers must have a safe and inclusive workplace that protects our rights and accommodates the needs of our workforce.

We also put forth a new proposal covering the support needed for facilities and materials to perform our jobs. Pitt provided us with counterproposals on the following: English language testing, training, and performance evaluation. We quickly responded with another counter on protections for grads who are forced to complete English language testing, and will provide responses to the rest in our next bargaining session.

Check out our Bargaining Tracker to see specific updates to all proposal language!

If you experience any changes to your working conditions, if your department suggests that compensation is held up or unavailable due to the bargaining process, or if you have a story you’d like to share with a bargaining committee member, fill out this form to schedule a meeting with us.

Remember, our union is only as strong as its membership! If you are a TA/TF/GSA/GSR or fellow, please sign your USW membership card online if you haven’t done so yet. The administration will NOT have access to your membership card information (including whether or not you signed one) until our first contract is ready for ratification.

In solidarity, 

Your bargaining committee 

Lauren Wewer, Chair (MEMS)  
Michaela Cushing-Daniels, Recording Secretary (SPIA)  
Keanna Cash (SOE)  
Greta Cheng (SPH)  
Aden Halpern (Economics)  
Alisa Omelchenko (SOM)  
Chi-Tsung Chang (English)  
Tori Bonidie (Physics & Astronomy)  
Hollen Tillman (SSW)
Matt Nader (USW)
Nate Kilbert (USW)
Don Shaffer (USW)