April 2, 2018

Today, Georgetown University and the Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees (GAGE) signed a landmark private agreement that will allow eligible graduate student assistants the opportunity to vote on whether or not they would like to be represented by a union. The agreement provides for a union election outside the scope of the National Labor Relations Board.

In response to today’s agreement, the following joint statement was issued by Dr. Robert M. Groves, Executive Vice President and Provost of Georgetown University, Dr. Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Executive Dean at Georgetown University University School of Medicine, and Hailey Huget, GAGE Elections Negotiations Committee Member, and AFT President Randi Weingarten:

“Today’s agreement reflects our shared belief in the important role that graduate student assistants play at Georgetown and our commitment to giving them a stronger voice as members of our community. The election agreement – among the first of its kind – creates formal election procedures, voter eligibility guidelines, and a dispute resolution mechanism to help guide the election and the collective bargaining process.  We will work together to ensure a free and fair election that encourages dialogue and gives eligible graduate student assistants the opportunity to decide if they would like to be represented by a union.”