On Tuesday, Georgetown University published its 2019 Campus Climate Survey. The results of this survey reinforce what we’ve known since we formed GAGE - harassment in the classroom and workplace significantly affects graduate students.
35.7% of graduate women and 21% of graduate men reported being subject to some form of harassing behavior in 2018. Notably, 1 out of 4 of these graduate students were harassed by a faculty member or instructor.
What stands out to us the most about this report is that 85% of graduate students who were harassed in the classroom or on the job did not feel comfortable reporting the incident to Georgetown.
Georgetown’s own survey data validates what we’ve known since we formed our union: we need a fair grievance procedure that puts our safety first. Since this summer, our Bargaining Committee has been attempting to negotiate with university officials for a process that allows graduate workers to report and resolve workplace harassment with the support of our union, GAGE.
This grievance procedure would meet two critical needs:
A clear timeline: Graduate workers can expect to meet with a department chair or graduate school representative within a specific number of days after reporting an issue.
A clear aim: to graduate workers feel safe and respected in the workplace, and ensure that the harasser stops their behavior. If a resolution cannot be found, an arbitrating body steps in to help both parties reach a solution.
Grad unions at other universities like University of Connecticut have used their grievance procedure to successfully resolve workplace harassment. But workers had to fight for these rights. At Harvard, graduate workers are currently voting to authorize a strike, in part because the university refuses to allow survivors of harassment to pursue their complaints through a third-party grievance procedure. These are basic workplace rights, but we have to fight for them.
Our bargaining committee is confident that we can secure a fair grievance procedure in our first contract- but we need the power of our membership— that means you.
There are two actions we are asking from members:
1) Sign our contract pledge to take actions to ensure we have a fair contract that respects us as workers. http://www.wearegage.org/our-pledge
2) Save the date for an action on November 11.
Details to follow. Stay tuned!
