Grad students will decide union question starting April 15

Thomas Yang | Assistant Visual Editor

An election to determine whether or not Pitt graduate students will unionize will begin the week of April 15.

By Joanna Li, News Editor

Not long after the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board recognized the Pitt Grad Student Union’s right to form a union, dates for the election were released.

PLRB announced on Thursday the dates and times of polling locations on campus. The election is intended to allow more than 2,000 graduate students to vote to join a union. In order to form a union, a simple majority of the grad student population, or more than 50 percent, needs to vote yes.

https://twitter.com/PittGrads/status/1108833482149634048

Election voting will take place the week of April 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at various locations on campus.

  • April 15: Posvar Hall, Posvar Suites, second floor
  • April 16: Posvar Hall, Posvar Suites, second floor
  • April 17: O’Hara Ballroom, second floor
  • April 18: O’Hara Ballroom, second floor

These locations were selected despite attempted pushes from Pitt to have the election held on upper campus in the Biomedical Science Tower or Benedum Hall.

In addition, an information session with Vice Provost Nathan Urban will be held today from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in David Lawrence Hall, room 120, as a means of answering questions regarding the election process and unionization.

Pitt grad students will vote on unionization beginning April 15. Learn about the events that led to the board’s ruling. Graphic by Emily Hearty | Staff Graphic Artist