Oakland news roundup
By Priya Ray, Staff Writer
July 25, 2020
With the fall semester beginning in just a few weeks, here is a guide to some of the biggest stories at Pitt.
Analysis: Comparing Pitt’s current Ballard Spahr spending with pre-unionization
By Neena Hagen, Senior Staff Writer
January 22, 2020
Since the graduate and faculty union campaigns launched in 2016, Pitt has paid more than $1.3 million to “union avoidance” legal giant Ballard Spahr — an average of $328,000 per year.
Pitt’s bill for ‘union avoidance’ law firm passes $1 million
By Jon Moss, News Editor
January 12, 2020
A “union avoidance” law firm continues to receive a large windfall of legal fees from Pitt, recently passing $1 million, according to University financial disclosure reports.
Grad union organizers hold demonstration on sky bridge
By Benjamin Nigrosh, Staff Writer
December 4, 2019
Grad union organizers pressed paper letters against the windows of the Forbes Avenue sky bridge Wednesday afternoon.
Editorial: NLRB unionization proposal is a step backwards
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
September 23, 2019
This new proposal is a bleak reminder of just how difficult unionization really is, and just how far we still have to go.
Labor official: Pitt website, department chair email involved in unfair practices
By Emily Wolfe, News Editor
September 19, 2019
Unless the board files an exception to Helmerich’s ruling — it has 20 days to do so, in accordance with PLRB regulations — graduate students will soon vote again on the union question.
PLRB rules Pitt committed unfair labor practices, orders new grad union election
By Janine Faust, Editor-in-chief
September 18, 2019
Hearing Examiner Stephen Helmerich said in his hearing that Pitt committed “coercive acts” leading up to the vote in April about whether or not graduate students should join the Academic Workers Association of the United Steelworkers, where the outcome was 675 for a union and 712 against.
Student organizers confident as unionization decision nears
By Erica Guthrie, Assistant News Editor
August 26, 2019
Pitt and the graduate student organizers trying to establish a union at the University took their final legal step last week before the state labor board determines whether or not the University engaged in unfair labor practices during the elections held last spring.
Pitt paid almost $240K to “union avoidance” law firm in recent years
By Jon Moss, News Editor
May 14, 2019
A “union avoidance” law firm received a large windfall of legal fees from Pitt, according to previously unreported University financial disclosure reports.
Grad students vote against unionization, organizers reissue call for new election
By Jon Moss and Neena Hagen
May 3, 2019
The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board officially declared Friday morning that the majority of graduate students at Pitt voted against unionization in the April 15-18 election.