We demand the UNM Administration commit to bargain with United Graduate Workers of UNM (UGW-UE) to fix the urgent issues graduate workers face as employees of the university:

1) A Living Wage -- Graduate workers are some of the lowest paid educators in New Mexico. Graduate employees at UNM make an average minimum stipend of $14,438, which is barely more than the federal poverty line. Compare this with unionized graduate workers at similar institutions like the University of Iowa (minimum stipend $20,041) and University of Kansas (minimum stipend $17,750). Graduate employees at UNM deserve stipends that allow us to live with dignity in a city with a rapidly rising cost of living.

2) Adequate Benefits -- 65% of UNM graduate workers have delayed or ignored medical care due to lack of health insurance coverage, according to the United Graduate Workers of UNM 2021 bargaining survey. Graduate workers deserve to have basic medical care that includes comprehensive vision and dental insurance. Benefits for grad workers don’t meet the minimum standard for other UNM workers. Graduates are the only workers on campus without access to affordable dental and vision coverage.

3) Working Conditions -- Unionized graduate workers across the country have explicit protections against overwork, discrimination, and harassment. Unionized graduate employees also have protections for international students and increased job security. Plus, they have access to paid sick, family, and parental leave. Graduate employees at UNM deserve more job security, protections against overwork and discrimination, and access to paid leave.

Over 1,000 graduate workers at UNM, a strong majority, have joined together as a union to negotiate over pay, working conditions, and benefits. On Sept. 3rd, we’re coming together to call on the UNM administration to recognize the United Graduate Workers of UNM union and to set a date for contract negotiations, as they have done with all other employees at the university.

I stand with graduate workers to demand recognition of the United Graduate Workers of UNM and a say in the decisions that affect graduate workers' lives.