BARGAINING
UPDATES

May 28, 2026

On Thursday, we met with the administration’s bargaining committee and provided a counter on AI and exchanged hours of work and international employees proposals. We have waited over 3 months for a response to the international employees proposal, a topic that affects many bargaining unit employees. 

Unfortunately, the administration is STILL unwilling to discuss just cause in the exercise of professional judgment and non-discrimination. Their inability to bargain over this package is causing negotiations to stall, preventing us from getting to a final contract. It's disappointing to see the Administration is so unwilling to create basic non-discrimination protections for our graduate community.

No wonder the Administration is spending millions of dollars on lawyers: the Administration now has been found guilty of committing ANOTHER unfair labor practice. The PLRB has ordered that the administration rescind the changes made last year to unionized employee health care benefits. We hope that in the future the Administration can concentrate on bargaining instead of breaking the law. 

Although the contract is not done, we still have some legal protections under the union. Join us for our first union summer school education event: Know Your Weingarten Rights on June 11, 5-6pm. Register for a zoom link here or join us in person at the Cathedral of Learning 2017.

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.  Check out the bargaining tracker for the full proposals!

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)
Emily Wheelis (Neuroscience)
Matt Nader (USW)
Nate Kilbert (USW)
Don Shaffer (USW)