WASHINGTON - April 27 - The graduate employees at New York University work hard every day to exceed the high academic standards that define NYU’s national reputation. Their contribution makes teaching and research at NYU possible — which is why the administration’s refusal to recognize and bargain with them is contemptible and irresponsible.

The work that graduate employees do at NYU — teaching classes, running laboratories, and performing research — deserves the kind of respect due to any other worker in this country.

The NYU administration embarrasses itself and the academic community when it treats its graduate employees with such callous disrespect.

On April 21, 2006 the American Arbitration Association certified that a majority of graduate employees at NYU desire continued representation by GSOC/UAW Local 2110 in collective bargaining. NYU should respect the will of the majority, and come back to the bargaining table with its graduate employees.

The AFL-CIO supports the NYU graduate employees in their struggle to win a fair contract.

Their struggle is our struggle.

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