ANN ARBOR – Sen. Bernie Sanders weighed in on the current strike by graduate student employees at the University of Michigan on Thursday.
Sanders tweeted in support of the Graduate Employees’ Organization, which has been on strike since March 29 calling for fair wages and better health care.
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“No graduate student worker should be living in poverty while the University of Michigan sits atop a $17 billion endowment,” tweeted Sanders, who also retweeted a post by the union. “These 2,500 workers deserve safe working conditions and living wages. The University must bargain a fair contract immediately.”
Read: Judge: Striking University of Michigan graduate employees in violation of contract
No graduate student worker should be living in poverty while the University of Michigan sits atop a $17 billion endowment. These 2,500 workers deserve safe working conditions and living wages. The University must bargain a fair contract immediately. https://t.co/DYdPrPkJRa
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 19, 2023
The graduate student workers continue to strike as their leaders appeal a ruling from earlier in the week that determined they are in violation of their contract.
GEO is calling for a 60% wage increase in year one of a three-year contract. The university currently proposes an 11.5% raise over the next three years.
The union’s contract expires on May 1 and negotiations between the two sides are ongoing.