Over the past week, we have spoken out in calls to the Georgetown administration and via social media with a simple message: Georgetown’s plans to re-open during the COVID-19 pandemic must protect the health, safety, and job security of graduate workers. Today, we learned that the administration heard our calls loud and clear. We will return to the bargaining table on Wednesday, July 29th, to negotiate an agreement that protects graduate workers and ensures that they are not compelled to teach or conduct research against their will or under conditions adverse to their health and safety.

These developments have confirmed for me what we’ve known all along: when we organize, we win.

Impact bargaining with the university will allow us to hold the administration to its promises of protecting graduate workers from increased COVID-19 risk. We have asked the administration to remove its drafted policy that would force some graduate workers to take an unpaid, uninsured leave of absence if the university is unable to accommodate their health and safety concerns. We’ve also asked the university to clarify its restrictions on teleworking for workers currently living abroad.

But we know that bargaining is only half the equation. Organizing got us to the table, and organizing will allow us to reach an agreement that protects all graduate workers at Georgetown.

In conclusion, I want to extend my sincerest appreciation to every one of you who answers our survey, signs our petition to President DeGioia, calls into the President’s Office, or shows up to our bargaining session. This is collective power! You all inspire me and I know that together we can achieve a strong agreement.

In solidarity,

Jewel Tomasula, on behalf of the GAGE Executive Council