HGSU-UAW Bargaining Update

Dear Members of the Harvard Faculty,

The University and HGSU-UAW continue our discussions at the bargaining table, even as the union’s strike is ongoing. With that in mind, we write to share an update coming out of a bargaining session held earlier today.

Update on University Proposals on Compensation and Legal Services 

In today’s bargaining session, the University increased its compensation proposal to provide an 11% increase over four years for all salaried student worker appointments. This would include a 2.75% increase upon ratification of the contract, and then 3.25% on July 1 of this year, with another 2.5% at the start of each of the following academic years.  

Additionally, the University proposed that salaried HGSU-UAW members will have access to a subsidized legal services plan, which includes access to immigration-related legal services, at the same price as is available to Harvard’s full-time employees.

Information on the University’s compensation and legal services proposals, along with other proposals, is available on the academic unionization website.   

Update on Student Benefits 

The 2020 and 2021 HGSU-UAW contracts included benefits, such as help with dental and childcare expenses. In the last year of the prior HGSU-UAW contract, the University provided $2.75 million to these benefit pools administered by the union to student workers.  

During this round of negotiations, the union shared that student workers find access to these funds difficult because they move in and out of the bargaining unit as their work status changes. They also asked the University to increase benefits funding to $3.6 million.  

The University shares the union’s interest in providing consistent, equitable access to student benefits and has announced steps in line with that goal, including benefits totaling more than $3.6 million. Described in more detail below, these benefits will be student-based and will not require students to be employed in HGSU-UAW positions to access them. 

• New PhD Student Parental Benefit Stipend: Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) will provide a parental benefit stipend to PhD student parents. This annual stipend of at least $6,500 per family will help offset costs associated with raising children. This new stipend is in addition to the existing Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS) stipend available to PhD students following a childbirth or adoption event, which was $7,484 in the 2025-2026 academic year.
• PhD Student Fully Subsidized Dental Insurance: Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, PhD students receiving tuition and health fee coverage will also receive free preventative dental insurance, up from the current 75% subsidy offered for that plan. This increased dental benefit adds to the fully subsidized student health fee and health insurance eligible PhD students receive, which totaled $6,108 in the 2025-2026 academic year.  
• Emergency Funds for International Students: The University is expanding emergency funds available for any international student facing financial hardship. Eligible non-citizen, full-time students can receive more information through their School’s financial aid office about available University funding, including the Vivian Allen International Fund.
• Emergency Hardship Funds: The University is committing additional funding to support School-based emergency hardship funds. Students can find out more about eligibility and the process for applying for these funds through their School’s financial aid office.

Continuity of Academic and Research Activities

As the updates shared in this message indicate, the University remains engaged with HGSU-UAW and continues to negotiate in good faith. We are also pleased that HGSU-UAW’s bargaining team accepted the University’s offer of additional bargaining session dates, which are now on the calendar for the weeks ahead. However, even with the ongoing negotiations, we recognize HGSU-UAW’s right to strike and know that their decision to continue their current strike means we also must focus on our efforts to ensure continuity in teaching, learning, and research.

For faculty, this means continuing to adapt your approach to courses, research and end-of-the-semester activities that are critical to the academic progress of your students. Each of Harvard’s Schools is providing support to assist you in meeting these academic commitments and needs of your students. We will continue to work with your School’s leadership on these continuity efforts.

We are mindful of the vital role HGSU-UAW members have in fulfilling Harvard’s teaching and research mission, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement. 

Sincerely,

Jessica Soban
Deputy Provost

Paul Curran
Managing Director, Labor and Employee Relations