NMSU Graduate Workers United, the union representing graduate workers on campus, met with university administration on Nov. 7 in Milton Hall to discuss improvements to their contract, which expires at the end of 2024.
The union’s bargaining committee has met with NMSU administration throughout this semester, since delivering their intent to bargain on Sept. 26. Their main priorities are increasing pay and tuition remission to amounts UNM graduate workers receive.
“We’re matching a lot of UNM language in our proposals and just asking for the same things that we know already exist over there to be copied over here,” said teaching assistant Caedmon Ragland. “That’s the dream. More likely, we’re going to have to compromise on some things. But that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to demand what we deserve.”
The union’s Communications Chair, Caroline Klocksiem, said Milton Hall is their most accessible bargaining location so far, and an improvement from their previous location in the Computer Center, which is closed to all but authorized personnel and surrounded by construction.
“Not really sure why we’re not meeting in Hadley, not really sure why we’re not meeting at Corbett, but this is better, and we’re glad that we are able to be in a more visible location for now,” Klocksiem said.
Members and supporters of Graduate Workers United waited outside the conference room where the bargaining took place, holding signs and occasionally booing when they received text updates from the bargaining committee. NMSU police officers told the demonstrators to relocate so they didn’t block exits or obstruct the flow of traffic. They complied, lining a hallway on the other side of a door separating the conference room from the rest of Milton.
Police officers also warned demonstrators not to disrupt classes going on in the area. Klocksiem asked a professor teaching in a classroom nearby if their presence bothered him, to which he replied that it didn’t.
After the bargaining meeting ended, card-signing members of Graduate Workers United met for a caucus to discuss the results. Administrators also met for their caucus.
Political Action Chair of the union, Jay Choate, said the union and administration haven’t come to an agreement about the second contract. He expressed his frustration with the lack of progress.
“I feel like we should be seen more as people and like students working at NMSU, trying to make NMSU a better place,” Choate said. “And it really just doesn’t feel like they’re supporting us.”
Ragland said the administration “isn’t budging” in regard to raising pay rates and tuition remission.
“So presently, all of our grad workers are not above the federal poverty line,” Ragland said. “Our proposal takes us above the federal poverty line, but they’re saying, ‘no, let’s, let’s just keep you under that line’.”
As administrators left the building, union members and supporters waited by the exits to express their displeasure with the administration.
“We’re buying groceries at the dollar tree, ma’am,” Klocksiem expressed, raising her voice while the administrators walked out of Milton.
When asked to give a comment on behalf of NMSU, the Marketing and Communications office gave a statement identical to the one they gave when Graduate Workers United delivered their intent to bargain: “NMSU is supportive of our students. The work done by our graduate assistants is valuable to our mission. We look forward to continuing our conversations as part of the collective bargaining process.”
