What it means to do a Biology PhD in a union-protected Grad program
Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees
GAGE is the graduate employee union at Georgetown which protects all graduate workers in the Biology department. GAGE is an interdepartmental network of Masters and PhD students who are working to make sure that you are treated with dignity and respect as you pursue graduate work at Georgetown. GAGE is fighting to make higher education accessible to everyone and that means supporting graduate students through their Georgetown career.
Table of Contents:
GAGE's Contract Protects Graduate Employees.
We are students and employees.
In the US, it is typical that PhD programs require you to work as a Teaching Assistant and/or Research Assistant. At Georgetown, you are recognized by the university administration as an employee and are thus entitled to worker protections.
Our Minimum stipends are defined by the contract.
This means that austerity measures such as freezing or lowering paychecks cannot be imposed on us. Personal time off and paid leave are provided and protected.
Our health insurance premiums are fully covered.
Health insurance premiums, including dental, is fully paid for by Georgetown as an employee benefit for all PhD students. Vision insurance is available for about $11 a month, an affordable rate.
working hours are defined by the contract.
You will not be required to work more than 15 hours per week in your function as an employee of the university. In the Biology department, that means that your teaching assistantship duties will be 15 hours a week or less, and if you are asked to violate this, you have recourse through the union to fix the problem.
We have a grievance procedure.
If the terms of our contract are not followed, we can grieve it-- meaning, systems are in place to report and resolve issues. GAGE can also support you if you need to report to Title IX and IDEAA/harassment violations and our contract includes additional options for protection.
We HAVE POWER TO shape our Georgetown experience.
Through the union, we have collective bargaining rights to negotiate with the university over the terms of our contract. Our next contract is up for renewal in 2027 -- and as union members, we can decide what topics are most important.
Biology PhD Stipends
Biology PhD students are on 12-month appointments, meaning you get paid biweekly throughout the calendar year. You will be a teaching assistant for two or more semesters and a research assistant during all other semesters.
GAGE's second contract raised Fall 2024 stipends 12% to $41,420. It also secured a 2.5% raise for each year of the contract. All PhD students have a direct say in their stipend levels by participating in GAGE contract renegotiations for Fall 2027.
GAGE-protected Biology PhD stipend levels
Fall 2024: $41,420.00
Fall 2025: $42,456.00
Fall 2026: $43,517.00
Fall 2027: $44,615.00
Before we had our union, it was only up to faculty and deans to decide PhD stipend levels. PhD stipends were far below living wage for DC and often stagnant.
Past Biology PhD stipend levels
Fall 2014: $29,500.00
Fall 2016: $30,500.00
Fall 2018: $33,000.00
Fall 2020: $35,500.00 *First GAGE Contract in Effect
Fall 2022: $36,934.20
Membership & Union Dues
GAGE has been successful because the overwhelming majority of graduate student workers are union members. Being a union member does not require any time commitment, which is the most common concern for new PhD students. While anyone is welcomed to get more involved, simply signing up as a GAGE member is an important signal of support for GAGE's work. As a GAGE member, you have the right to participate in union activities however you want: it could be by filling out surveys and voting on our budget and officer elections, or by serving on a committee or as a Department Organizer.
Union dues are 1.75% of total pay, approximately $50 per month for Biology PhD stipends. This amount is automatically deducted from each paycheck. Dues directly support implementation and enforcement of our union contract. Every September, all GAGE members have the opportunity to review, discuss, and vote on GAGE's annual budget.
In accordance with United States labor law, PhD students have the right not to be a union member but non-members are still responsible to pay a fair share fee. GAGE's fair share fee is set at 1.75% of total pay, the same as union member dues.
Talk to Biology Department Organizers
Maggie Weng, mw1144@georgetown.edu
Ellen Jacobs, erj22@georgetown.edu
Emma Lederer, ekl71@georgetown.edu
Meredith MacQueeney, mem505@georgetown.edu
Verena Conkin, vsl14@georgetown.edu
Or reach out to our organizing points of contact: sciences.lead@wearegage.org & organizing@wearegage.org