UM Graduate Student Union Strikes Against In-Person Classes

The University of Michigan Graduate Student Union is now on strike against in-person classes.

After a weekend vote, the University of Michigan Graduate Student Organization decided that as of today, they will go on strike. The strike is in opposition to in-person classes at the university. The historic move was announced on Labor Day.

Of the thousands of student instructors and staff assistants represented by the union, 80% of them voted in favor of the work stoppage. This will also mark the first strike like this since 1975. The union will now be holding the strike virtually and in-person. As of now, the union has authorized the strike through September 11th. That could change if the university does not meet the demands of the strike.

Faculty and students are worried about the 30% of classes that are being taught in-person. Even if they are testing the symptomatic students, many of the faculty and students don't feel that those measures will be good enough to stop and outbreak.

The Lecturer's Union at the University of Michigan has shown support for the Graduate Student Union as well...

Like our graduate student colleagues, LEO condemns the way the Administration has mismanaged the return to classes this Fall: employees, including Lecturers, were not properly consulted; information about the Fall plan, and internal disagreements over it, have been withheld; and the testing regime in place appears inadequate to the task of keeping students and employees safe... President of the Lecturers’ Employee Organization Ian Robinson.

As of now, the University still intends on continuing with their plans for the fall semester.

Source: MLive