Graduate students vote in favor of unionization

Graduate students voted 555-108 to unionize and be represented by the Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees (GAGE) in affiliation with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

The results of the election were announced to the campus community this morning in an email from Provost Robert Groves and Edward Heaton, executive vice president for Health Sciences, after the four-day voting period from Nov. 5 to 8.

The emailed contained a joint statement from the university, GAGE, and the AFT.

“We have a shared belief in the important role that graduate student assistants play at Georgetown and a shared commitment to giving them a stronger voice as members of our community,” the statement read. “We are encouraged that many graduate student assistants made their voices heard. We look forward to working together to continue efforts to improve the graduate student experience at Georgetown.”

The certification of the results will be finalized after a two-week period, as detailed in the election agreement between GAGE and the university. During this time, either party may file objections to the results with the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the third-party group which oversaw the election. If the results are certified, GAGE and the AFT will represent students across all of the university’s graduate and doctoral degree programs who work as research and teaching assistants. Once the election results are certified, the university will assemble a team to work with GAGE and the AFT on a collective bargaining agreement.

GAGE announced the news through their Twitter account this morning.

“WE HAVE OUR UNION!,” the tweet read. “83.7% of voters sends an overwhelming message to Georgetown University – that we’re here, we’re united, and we’re #ReadyToBargain!”