October 2, 2026 Update on HGSU-UAW Negotiations

Dear Members of the Harvard Faculty,

We are writing with an update regarding the ongoing negotiations for a successor contract between the University and the Harvard Graduate Student Union-United Auto Workers (HGSU-UAW). HGSU-UAW members play a vital role in fulfilling Harvard’s teaching and research mission. With appreciation for that role and the work they do, we remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching an agreement.

Status of Negotiations

Since the start of negotiations in March 2025, the University has met with the Union for 35 formal bargaining sessions and six informal sessions. Despite progress made in the recent sessions, the HGSU-UAW opened a strike authorization vote (SAV) to its members. As a reminder, the SAV does not initiate a strike but, if successful, authorizes the Union’s bargaining team to call a strike at any time.

Current Compensation Proposal

In August 2026, Harvard again increased its compensation offer. The proposal provides for a 6.1% increase upon ratification of the contract and a 13.9% increase over the life of the contract. Importantly, the new proposal brings the hourly rate for teaching fellows and research assistants into parity, which the union has communicated is one of their top priorities for this contract. More details can be found on the University's compensation proposal webpage.

Current and Expanded Benefits 

The University announced in the spring that it had expanded access to various student benefits to provide consistent, equitable access, regardless of worker status. For PhD students, this includes access to a parental stipend benefit, fully subsidized dental insurance, expansion of emergency funds for non-US resident students and of emergency hardship funds, as well as access to a legal services plan.

As a reminder, all PhD students receive extensive financial support as they pursue their degrees. Specifically, they receive living expense support, grants covering full tuition and fully subsidized health insurance, and other benefits totaling at least $425,000 over a minimum of five years. More information on living expense support, fully subsidized healthcare and other benefits and compensation is available on the academic unionization website.

Full-time non-US resident students also have access to the Vivian Allen International Fund, which provides emergency funds to full-time financially high need students with immigration-related expenses unique to their residency status. In addition, non-US resident students have access to a range of resources and services provided through the Harvard International Office and the Harvard Representation Initiative.

University Positions on Policies

While bargaining in good faith over the terms of the contract, the University continues to make clear several of its longstanding positions, including that our students must be able to pursue the full range of educational opportunities without being required to pay union dues or join a union, as has been agreed to in two previous collective bargaining agreements between HGSU-UAW and the University.

We also affirm that all members of our community should have access to the same procedures under our University-wide policies, rather than separate processes only for union members. In addition, all students, regardless of worker status, are protected by the University’s guidance on Law Enforcement Requests for Access to Documents and Nonpublic Spaces. 

Current Strike Authorization Vote

HGSU-UAW has indicated that a second strike would be in support of the same goals from the strike in the Spring. The University is in communication with HGSU-UAW leadership about its concern that a recurring strike on the same basis as its spring strike may be considered “intermittent” and therefore not protected under the law. Accordingly, student workers would be subject to the full range of employment consequences for not performing their work duties.

Resources

We will continue to update the academic unionization website with information on the University’s proposals, status of negotiations, and guidance on preparing for a possible strike. We will update available guidance around communicating with student workers leading up to and during a second strike, if the union votes in favor of authorizing a second strike. 

Throughout the collective bargaining process, we have been guided by our commitment to recognize and respect the important contributions of our student workers to research, teaching, and mentoring while also preserving the integrity of our academic mission, our faculty’s academic freedom in teaching and research, and the rights and educational opportunities of all our students.

Sincerely,

Jessica Soban
Deputy Provost

Paul Curran
Managing Director, Labor and Employee Relations