NYU Grad students to strike?

Dear NYU Student –

By now many of you are aware that the United Auto Workers is publicly discussing a job action involving graduate assistants (GAs) at NYU in the near future.

In our opinion, the Auto Workers union is embarking on a regrettable and unfortunate course: regrettable because it fails to respect the significance of your efforts to pursue your education, and unfortunate because such an action will not result in recognition of the UAW to represent our graduate assistants.

We understand that the possibility of a job action is the last thing you need at this point in the school year. We want to reassure you that the University will maintain your academic progress.

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The United Auto Workers union has been publicly discussing the prospects of engaging in a job action for quite some time; accordingly, the University has been planning for this possibility. Regardless of whether or not some GAs strike, the University will remain open, and you should plan on attending your classes and participating in your regularly scheduled activities. We have been faculty members and administrators at NYU for decades, and we believe that our faculty colleagues, recognizing the professional responsibility that accompanies the trust you have placed in NYU to educate you, will hold classes, and ensure your academic progress.

If there is a disruption, you will promptly hear from your school’s dean, who will provide you with further information and give you contact information should you have any concerns or questions.

We cannot promise you there will be no disruptions, but we are working hard to ensure that they are minimal. We believe that a large majority of GAs will continue to fulfill their teaching responsibilities. The University and its deans, faculty, and administrators will do whatever is necessary to guarantee that your hard work this semester is not put at risk, that your academic program and course work will be completed, and that those of you who are scheduled to graduate will do so.

Sincerely,



John Sexton David McLaughlin
President Provost