The Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania/AFT (GET-UP) held a two-day strike at the end of February to mark the one-year anniversary of the date they voted on collective bargaining. GET-UP picketed at the nine entrances to the university and classes led by graduate employees did not meet. UPenn faculty members and undergraduates joined GET-UP on the picket lines throughout the two days.

GET-UP spokesperson Dillon Brown said they had about 400 graduate employees committed to the work stoppage. "Spirits are up" he said after the first day. "The campus seems quieter than usual."

Days before the planned action, UPenn distributed an e-mail to all faculty and staff members threatening to discipline any employee who observed the strike. The AFT immediately filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, citing the e-mail as evidence that the university committed unfair and illegal practices.

GET-UP is seeking to represent a unit of 1,000 graduate employees on campus. Last year, the NLRB sponsored a representation election, but the votes were impounded when the university appealed the graduate employees' right to unionize. GET-UP has been fighting to have the university recognize the election and have the votes counted. [Lindsay Albert]

[March 15, 2004]