Frequently Asked Questions about Graduate Employee Locals

1. Whom do these locals represent?

Some of these locals represent graduate employees only, and, in some cases, graduate students are part of a larger unit that represents all faculty and staff. AFT is also working on connecting some of the similar experiences of graduate employees and part-time/adjunct faculty in current organizing efforts.


2. Do these locals all negotiate union contracts?

As the following lists show, some of these locals are legally recognized collective bargaining agents that negotiate contracts on behalf of their members, while others are in the midst of active union recognition campaigns.

Visit the AFT/AGEL Graduate Employee Locals that are recognized as collective bargaining agents to see the gains they have made for graduate employees:

Professional Staff Congress, Local 2334
at the City University of New York

Teaching Assistants' Association, Local 3220
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Graduate Employees Organization, Local 3550
at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, Local 3544
at the University of Oregon

Milwaukee Graduate Assistants Association, Local 2169
at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Graduate Assistants United/United Faculty of Florida, Local 7463
at the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Graduate Assistants United/United Faculty of Florida, Local 7463
at the University of Florida

Graduate Assistants United/United Faculty of Florida, Local 7463
at the University of South Florida

Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition, Local 4565
at the University of Kansas

Graduate Employees Organizing Committee, Local 6123
at Wayne State University

Coalition of Graduate Employees, Local 6069
at Oregon State University

Temple University Graduate Students' Association, Local 6290
at Temple University

Graduate Employees Union, Local 6196
at Michigan State University

Graduate Employees Organization, Local 6300
at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign

Graduate Employees Organization, Local 6297
at the University of Illinois in Chicago

Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters, Local 6323
at Rutgers University

Association of Graduate Employees/University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100
at the University of Illinois Springfield

Teaching Assistants Union, Local 1729
at Western Michigan University

Graduate Assistants United/United Faculty of Florida
at Florida State University

Graduate Student Union
at Central Michigan University

Visit the AFT/AGEL Graduate Employee Locals that have active recognition campaigns and learn how to start getting organized at your institution:

Graduate Employees Together
at the University of Pennsylvania

Graduate Employees and Students Organization
at Ohio State University