Catherwood LibraryILR School

Graduate students at the University of Pittsburg with the help of the United Steelworkers Union have been collecting authorization cards in support of a vote since February. If they receive 30% or more authorization cards they can petition the NLRB to hold an election in the spring semester. Nationwide, grad student organizing efforts have been flaring up, and the recent GOP tax bill has led some to take to the streets. A provision in the House tax bill classifies graduate student’s tuition, which is typically covered by the university in exchange for research and teaching, as taxable income. Many students will face a roughly 300% increase in taxable income, while their stipends for research and TA positions would remain stagnant.