UM System rejects graduate student union vote

The Coalition of Graduate Workers at the University of Missouri said they were notified Friday that system leaders decided to not recognize the group as a union despite election results.

In April, about 84 percent of nearly 800 MU graduate students voted in favor of forming a team for collective bargaining.

Prior to the election, Interim Chancellor Hank Foley stated the union representation wouldn’t change administrators’ minds as to whether to recognize graduate students as employees.

The Coalition of Graduate Workers said in a statement: “We are disappointed that the University of Missouri System demonstrated yet another failure of leadership. By forcing an expensive court battle, rather than exercising their power to voluntarily recognize the representation election’s results, the Curators and University System administrators have failed to responsibly steward the public institution with which they have been entrusted. Missourians expect and deserve better.”

The group said they will now “turn to the courts to uphold our constitutional right to organize and collectively bargain.”

The group’s first General Membership Assembly Meeting is Saturday at 12 p.m. at Tate Hall.