BARGAINING
UPDATES

March 11, 2026

On Wednesday, we met with the administration’s bargaining committee. The administration rejected our proposal to keep ICE out of our private work spaces effective immediately. Despite ICE activity on other campuses, Vice Chancellor of the Office of Public Safety & Emergency Management Ted Fritz stated that the “level of risk is relatively low” at Pitt. While the police may not have received reports of ICE activity on campus in the last year, we know that proactive protections are necessary to prevent this in the future. Pitt has continued to reject these protections at the bargaining table and promoted employment with ICE on their careers page. These actions make it clear that they are willing to comply with ICE agents at the expense of our safety. It’s up to us to show Pitt that this is unacceptable! To keep the pressure up and join us at future bargaining sessions as an observer, fill out this general interest form.

We passed the Hours of Work proposal back and forth and are moving closer to a tentative agreement. We also gave them a counterproposal on our professional rights. If you want to read more about what we have tentatively agreed upon and what we have been proposing, check out our bargaining tracker.

To get connected to our organizing committee’s efforts, follow @pittgradunion on social media and get connected to an organizer in your field by clicking here.

See this and previous updates and newsletters here. Don’t forget to fill out your membership card if you haven’t already, or to fill out this form if your working conditions change. 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)     
Alisa Omelchenko (SOM)  
Chi-Tsung Chang (English)  
Hollen Tillman (SSW)
Emily Ruttenberg (Math)
Matt Nader (USW)
Nate Kilbert (USW)
Don Shaffer (USW)