Northwestern University Graduate Workers reached four tentative agreements with the University in their eleventh bargaining session with administrators Wednesday. The agreements include union security, non-discrimination, management rights and a “no strike/no lockout” clause — NUGW’s final language proposals.
Prior to the bargaining meeting, NUGW representatives from different departments lined the hallways outside of TGS Commons to encourage the University to agree to the union’s demands.
“Admin were pissed at the chants and at our presence, and that led to massive results,” Kavi Chintam, an NUGW organizer for the chemical and biological engineering department, said in a video posted to NUGW’s Instagram page.
The union security clause establishes that all members of the NUGW bargaining unit will automatically be dues-paying union members unless they pay an “agency fee” equivalent to the amount of the dues. Such agreements — commonly referred to as “agency shops” — strengthen unions by allowing them to act as agents for employees.
In addition, NUGW won protections for members against abuses of authority and discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, caste and other specified characteristics, as well as the right to have a union steward present during the Title IX process.
Another tentative agreement reached Wednesday prohibits all strike activity but also prevents the University from locking out union members. “No strike/no lockout” clauses are often favored by both unions and employers in labor negotiations because they prevent disruptive work stoppages.
NUGW has now negotiated 23 of its 32 proposed articles since bargaining began 149 days ago. Once all sections of the contract have reached a tentative agreement status, NUGW members will vote on whether to approve or reject the entire contract.
NUGW’s next bargaining session on Nov. 14 will address economic proposals, including compensation, medical benefits and retirement plans. The union plans to hold a “Pay, Power, and Protections NOW!” rally the day before at Silverman Courtyard.
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— NU Graduate Workers reach three tentative agreements
