Question

State University employs a large number of graduate students to work as teaching assistants. The teaching assistants often complain about their work. They feel that faculty and administrators demand too much. A common complaint is their low wages. The graduate students frequently point out that they do much the same work as faculty members, yet they receive only a very small percentage of the pay that faculty members receive. They also claim that faculty members frequently treat them unfairly. Teaching assistants are often asked to do large amounts of grading in very short time periods. Many also feel that faculty members are not very good at communicating expectations.

In response to the dissatisfaction of the teaching assistants, a local union representing public workers has begun efforts to organize a labor union. Union representatives have obtained campaign card signatures from 40 percent of the teaching assistants. An election is scheduled for next month. Union representatives have been busy making a case that the union can help ensure that teaching assistants are treated more fairly. They have publicized statistics showing that unionized workers make significantly more than nonunionized workers. University administrators have decided not to actively oppose union organization. They have simply stated that it is important for teaching assistants to have the opportunity to decide whether they should be represented by a labor union.

Some faculty members are sympathetic to the concerns voiced by graduate students. They publicly state their concern that wages are too low. They also express frustration when they see some of their colleagues take advantage of students by assigning them large amounts of work to complete in short time periods. Other faculty members are less sympathetic. These professors talk about how they were treated even worse when they were graduate assistants. They seem to find joy in looking back and telling war stories about “the old days.” They seem to think that working hard for little pay is a right of passage that helps prepare students for future careers. Overall, the faculty at State University thus seems to be about evenly split in their support for student efforts to unionize.

A majority of the undergraduate students at State University don't seem to know anything about the unionization efforts. A few politically active students have joined public rallies supporting the unionization efforts. Others seem to have used the unionization issue to complain about the quality of teaching provided by graduate students. These students recently met with administrators to complain about having too many graduate students as instructors. Just last week the local newspaper printed an article detailing some of the problems experienced when courses are taught by graduate students.

As a community, State University thus seems to be quite divided over the unionization issue. No matter who prevails in the election, it seems likely that a large number of people will be unhappy with the result.

Question:

1. Do you think a union would help resolve the complaints of the teaching assistants?

2. What makes the position of teaching assistant different from many jobs frequently represented by unions?

3. Do you think the administration's response is appropriate?

4. If you were a graduate student at State University, would you vote for the union? Why?

Answer 1

1. Do you think a union would help resolve the complaints of the teaching assistants?

As the university is unfair in providing equal rights to graduate assistants,I feel the Union is the only option for the assistants to solve the issue. Most of the organizations workers or employees shows union is considered as only solution for resolving any these kinds of issues in major organization.

Even there are unions for teaching staff as well.Though the issue is escalated to the management there is no proper output or result that given by the university. Approaching union for the solution is a right method and union will definitely resolve the complaints of the teaching staff.Because it has that powers to do so.

2. What makes the position of teaching assistant different from many jobs frequently represented by unions?

According to me there is no big difference in teaching staff assistants.It was mentioned in the passage that the job they do does not have much difference when compared with faculty,in fact they do more and more assignments compared with faculty members. I don't find any major difference in the position of teaching assistants are different from many jobs frequently represented by unions.

3. Do you think the administration's response is appropriate?

I fell the administration response is inappropriate,Because it is not responded due to which the teaching assistants approached unions.If the administration would respond to the issue then it would have resolved at the earliest.At Least they would have considered their issue and escalate to the top management would be appropriate ,but that was not happened.

Even few faculty responded by expressing their concern towards teaching staff that wages are low comparatively and they also agree that faculty is taking advantage of students by assigning large amount of work and feel that they were treated more worse than these students is appropriate.

4. If you were a graduate student at State University, would you vote for the union? Why?

Of Course,because if someone helping me in doing my job and not paid properly for his/her work is considered as social injustice and inequality.I will definitely support the union for coming forward to help the teaching staff assistant.

If this is happened for the current assistants, and that is not addressed in this movement then it will remain same for the next staff as well.If I would be the next teaching assistant the same problem even i have to face.So i feel these issue should be resolved by voting for the Union to get justification.