After nearly 3 years under our first contract, our members have voted overwhelmingly to return to the bargaining table this year and negotiate an even stronger second contract! The negotiating will be carried out by our elected Bargaining Committee, working in lock step with our on-the ground the organizers, the Contract Action Team (CAT).
A Strong Contract:
- Strengthens and enshrines victories we have already won through our first contract, issue based campaigns, and our organizing efforts (like yearly raises, a fair grievance procedure, and international worker protections)
- Builds and expands on our existing contract
- Does not leave anything on the table
The Bargaining Process
- Membership votes on contract proposals
- BC negotiates with JHU
- Mass participation and action pressures JHU to agree
- BC reaches a tentative agreement.
- Members vote on contract ratification!
The Bargaining Committee
Elected representatives from across the bargaining unit tasked with representing the interests and needs of ALL of the fellow graduate workers in the process of negotiating (bargaining) a contract.
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- Prepare and present contract proposals to the administration.
- Only compromise with the administration at the will of the TRU-UE membership.
- Communicate the changing state of negotiations to the rest of TRU-UE, through the Contract Action Team.
Marie Pearce (she/her)
Program in Molecular Biophysics
I am bargaining to...
ensure that everyone's work is recognized and protected so that JHU cannot use academic punishment to retaliate against workers.
Michalis Panagiotou (he/him)
Physics and Astronomy
I am bargaining to...
do my duty towards my fellow workers and myself.
David Bass (he/him)
Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology & Biophysics
I am bargaining to...
fight for our fair share of Hopkins' $13 billion endowment and stronger legal protections for international workers.
Holden Turner (any pronouns)
Modern Languages & Literatures/Anthropology
I am bargaining to...
stare JHU admin in the eye and hold them accountable to taking care of their grad students.
April Ma (they/them)
Political Science
I am bargaining to...
fight for education that doesn't fund genocide, institutional growth that enriches Baltimore instead of encouraging its gentrification, and work that is valued for the value it produces.
Trung Phung (he/him)
Computer Science
I am bargaining to...
to fight for funding until graduation, a comfortable stipend, and better protections for international students.
Michelle Dai (she/her)
Applied Mathematics and Statistics
I am bargaining to...
involve other Whiting students and inform them of what goes into protecting our rights as workers.
Jamie Enslein (she/her)
Electrical and Computer Engineering
I am bargaining to...
fight for our contract and incorporate even more protections that matter for our community.
Sonia Dhawan (she/her)
Environmental Health & Engineering
I am bargaining to...
help JHU grad workers collectively harnessing our power as organized workers to create the workplace we want and need.
Saba Chowdhury (she/her)
Mental Health
I am bargaining to...
fight for a fifth year of funding for SPH workers so they can focus on the science!
Ramona Johnson (she/her)
Immunology
I am bargaining to...
fight for the needs of all our grad student workers at Hopkins!
Maria Wissler (she/her)
Cellular and Molecular Biology
I am bargaining to...
stand up for our rights and advocate for my peers.
Noah Workman (he/him)
Human Genetics & Genomics
I am bargaining to...
be a practical, results-oriented voice at the table and help deliver a solid next contract and fight for material improvements like better pay and stability.
To learn more about your BC members, read their introduction statements here.
The Contract Action Team – (CAT) – 🐈
- CAT (Contract Action Team) is made up of all Department Organizers, volunteers and interested members.
- The Bargaining Committee (BC) is an arm of the CAT that we use to go head-to-head with JHU.
- Members should represent all organizing units (buildings and departments)!
- Our contract will reflect the issues that grad workers talk to CAT members about. Get to know the people in your lab, department, and cohort; know what their issues are, and work together to address them!
- Join the CAT here!
Have more questions about bargaining? Check out our FAQs!