Thousands of BU graduate student workers vote to strike
Graduate workers at Boston University voted to authorize a strike on Tuesday, after filing five unfair labor practice charges against the school, the workers’ union said in a news release.
The union of nearly 3,000 graduate students is calling for higher pay and increased health care coverage for graduate students, who currently earn stipends between $27,000 to about $40,000 per year, far from a living wage, the union said. The workers said they have been in contract negotiations with BU since 2023.
“We are extremely disappointed in BU’s unlawful conduct and refusal to provide the basic information our members need to bargain effectively,” said David Foley, president of SEIU 509, a local union that represents educators. “Graduate workers play a vital role in contributing to BU’s success and in shaping the experience of students across campus.”
In response to the union’s news release, Colin Riley, a BU spokesperson, said the university continues to negotiate in good faith with the union.
BU’s current health care plan means high out-of-pocket costs for graduate workers for specialists, prescriptions, and hospital visits, the union said. Some students have families to provide for; the current health care plan requires fees of $5,000 for each dependent, the release said. One graduate worker — Blair Stowe — said she had to pay $14,000 for the health insurance premiums for her family of four last fall.
“How can BU expect me to make this work on a stipend of $26,000 a year?” Stowe said. “Our problems are not individual failures — they are a result of the university failing to provide what we need.”
Another worker said she struggled with rising housing costs.
“This year, my rent was raised by $350 per month, and as the cost of living continues to rise here in Boston, this work is increasingly unsustainable for many of us,” said Meiya Sparks Lin, a graduate worker in the English department.