Embedded Files
Past Collective Action
"Feed Our Grads" Campaign
"Feed Our Grads" Campaign
Many graduate students experience food insecurity while in school. The RPI Campus Cupboard (formerly the Food Pantry) is an off-campus resource that supplements food sources for students. In the past, the hours for the pantry were extremely limited and the resource has been poorly advertised.
Late last year, RPI Grads saw the impact of tariffs put forth by the federal government on the cost of groceries and felt a need to act. We started the “Feed Our Grads” Campaign to demand the following from RPI:
Free meal swipes for Grad Students
Expanding the hours and food options at RPI affiliated food pantries
Expanding the RPI grocery bill reimbursement program to cover all Grad Students
After gathering signatures, members of the RPI Graduate Student community have been working with RPI Admin to see if we can meet this need. In the 2026-2027, the RPI Campus Cupboard has expanded its hours, which can be located here.
A Union contract can ensure better pay, grocery reimbursement, and other improvements to Graduate life to make our lives easier day to day. Let’s make things easier on ourselves with a Grad Union now!
Why Unionize?
BETTER PAY
BETTER PAY
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BETTER PROTECTIONS
BETTER PROTECTIONS
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BETTER INSURANCE
BETTER INSURANCE
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Better Pay
Graduate student unions at other universities have been able to negotiate for scheduled pay increases over the course of their union contracts. The University of Pennsylvania just signed their first contract earlier this year which included a 21% increase of their minimum stipend.
Better Protections
A union would provide students with legal protections against retaliatory behavior or leveraging immigration status. A union could also help guide students through grievance procedures in the case of such inappropriate behavior by an advisor.
Better Insurance
Last year, the administration changed our health insurance provider without notification. Some graduate students were forced to delay medical appointments they'd waited months for or to unexpectedly have to pay for appointments without insurance.
They also removed an existing option to pay for insurance and fees through payroll deductions, and replaced it with a separate payment plan which came with an additional fee. Instead of doing a better job informing the graduate students of the existing deduction option or changing the system to deduct by default with an option to opt-out, the administration made a more expensive and less convenient option.
A union would have given us a seat at the table in negotiating our health insurance.
A Seat At The Table
A union would transform the working conditions of graduate students at RPI. It would provide us not just immediate benefits, but also a seat at the table to advocate for our shared interests through the power of collective bargaining and legal protections.
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