Missouri Supreme Court denies university’s request to rehear graduate worker case

The Missouri Supreme Court denied the University of Missouri’s request to rehear the appeals court decision that graduate workers are employees.

The university asked the Supreme Court to hear the case last month. In its decision, which was filed Tuesday, the court denied the request.

The Missouri Western District Court of Appeals issued a notice in August denying the university’s request to rehear or transfer the part of the case that argues graduate workers are employees. The appeals court ruled in July that graduate workers are employees under legal definitions and entitled to collective bargaining rights.

Boone County court will still hear arguments regarding the legality of the graduate students’ election in 2016, which designated the Coalition of Graduate Workers as their bargaining representative.

“It’s our understanding that the case will be remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with the opinion of the Court of Appeals,” university spokesman Christian Basi said.

ABC 17 News contacted the Coalition of Graduate Workers for comment, but has not received a response.

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