New York State is negotiating with the Graduate Student Employees Union (GSEU) for our contract renewal. GSEU represents graduate workers who provide the bulk of teaching and research labor at SUNY.

We recently collected a petition signed by over 2,000 people statewide, including 331 signatures from Buffalo. Our fellow GSEU chapters (AKA GSEU at other SUNY campuses) are driving to Albany to deliver this petition to our NY politicians in person!! Since we aren’t driving to Albany, it’s important we show our solidarity by having a large presence on UB’s campus!

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During recent negotiations, graduate workers asked for wages that allow these essential workers to survive, especially with rising costs of living. When compared to peer institutions, SUNY schools are near the bottom.

In response to the well-researched data we presented about our concerns, New York State offered with a counter offering us a base stipend amount of $11,000, an increase of $1,000 over the currently-unlivable base of $10,000, and a rate that is far below NYS minimum wage.

Recent Bargaining News

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We know you’re sick and tired of not being paid enough. We know you’re sick and tired of working under a contract that’s been expired since July 2023 – over 500 days ago. We’ve been at the bargaining table for months, but it’s time we make our voices louder so that New York State knows they need to give us a FAIR CONTRACT NOW.

That’s why we need you to join us on Wednesday Feb 26th at Noon outside Capen. We need to have a presence as graduate workers. We need to be seen. We need to be heard. We need to be united. Whether you are a graduate worker at UB, a worker in another industry, an undergraduate student whose classes are taught by graduate TAs, or an ally in any way, please join us at our rally.

Divided we beg, united we bargain. 

In solidarity,

UB GSEU