Organizers of a union for staff scientists at the University of Washington commemorating their election win in June, 2022Mykaila OstromStaff Scientists Organize at UWAs a graduate trainee researcher and teaching assistant at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, Cara Margherio worked under union defense for student workers. University of New Mexico graduate trainees getting involved in a work-in in December 2021 after the university appealed a state labor board judgment that finish trainees are considered staff members under the lawUNM Grad WorkersThe university appealed the choice, arguing that graduate students arent employees, but rather work on agreement. Student researchers rallying at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2021Reed YalisoveAfter learning about unionization efforts for trainee scientists throughout the UC system in 2020, Moncada got involved, encouraged by a desire to improve work environment accessibility and other problems such as real estate that affect her and other students, she says.
Organizers of a union for personnel researchers at the University of Washington commemorating their election win in June, 2022Mykaila OstromStaff Scientists Organize at UWAs a graduate student researcher and teaching assistant at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, Cara Margherio worked under union security for trainee employees. University of New Mexico graduate trainees participating in a work-in in December 2021 after the university appealed a state labor board ruling that finish students are thought about workers under the lawUNM Grad WorkersThe university appealed the decision, arguing that graduate trainees arent staff members, but rather work on agreement. “Its the classic thing to do to grad trainees,” says Michael Mann, a sixth-year PhD trainee in biology. As a transgender trainee transitioning throughout her second year, Moncada states, she had to walk at least five minutes from her office to access a gender-neutral restroom; some trainees in other departments had to go to a separate building. Student researchers rallying at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2021Reed YalisoveAfter finding out about unionization efforts for trainee researchers across the UC system in 2020, Moncada got involved, encouraged by a desire to improve office availability and other issues such as real estate that affect her and other trainees, she says.