The Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE) at Penn State took to the steps of Old Main on Wednesday to celebrate its right to unionize following a ruling from the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) last week.
The PLRB ruling that Penn State’s graduate assistants have union rights under the Pennsylvania Employee Relations Act came after a week-long hearing in September.
Approximately 100 students and faculty members were at the rally — carrying signs stating “my research is work,” “graduate students are workers too,” and “faculty support.”
More pictures from the #WeAreWorkers Rally today! Thanks again to all who were able to show their support. #YesCGE pic.twitter.com/PPJNdHHrzq
— CGE at PSU (@cge_psu) February 14, 2018
Doug Allen, a former football player and current professor of practice in labor and employment relations, led a “we want unions” chant. Allen has plenty of experience in union work, serving as a regional director for the AFL-CIO committee on political education and assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association.
Plenty of faculty members supported the @cge_psu “We Are Workers” rally, including a professor with years of experience in union work, Doug Allen.
(Video: @TPReams) pic.twitter.com/12mg7SH0Wd
— Steve Connelly (@SLC2o) February 14, 2018
Penn State voiced its displeasure with the PLRB ruling, but now has turned its focus to the upcoming unionization vote.
“Penn State encourages its eligible graduate students to seek out information now, so that when the time comes, they can vote having weighed all aspects,” the university provided in a statement. “A simple majority of those who actually vote determines the result for all graduate students in the bargaining unit — including those who don’t vote, those who vote ‘no,’ and even future students who have not yet applied to Penn State.”
GPSA, Penn State’s graduate student government, stated that it’s not for or against unionizing, but that it’s encouraging students to vote on the matter.
