With Finals Looming, GSIs to Strike Next Week

In a final push for a contract, the union representing 11,000 UC graduate student instructors, tutors and readers plans to go on strike next week, putting a potential halt to grading, office hours and sections just days before finals.

Along with picketing, union members at all UC campuses plan to go on a grading strike-participants have been instructed not to score final exams or papers, hold office hours or attend lectures.

Unlike the one-day October walkout, the planned strike is expected to last until a settlement is reached between the union and UC.

It could continue until the end of the semester, said Rajan Mehta, head steward of UC Berkeley's 2,500-member chapter of the union.

"We have tried repeatedly to get university negotiators to bargain in a productive, cooperative and lawful manner without success," bargaining team member Chuong-Dai Vo said in a statement. "That's why we feel we have no alternative but to strike at this time, even though we realize it will be disruptive to the entire university community."

UC has been developing contingency plans to mitigate any disruptions the strike may cause, said UC spokesperson Paul Schwartz.

All final exams and class meetings will go forward as scheduled, but under extraordinary circumstances, regulations on "Pass/Not Pass" grades, alternative final exams and grading deadlines will be relaxed, campus officials said.

The eight-month negotiations hinge on two issues: the ability to hold a sympathy strike, and a demand for a neutral forum for union members to air workload grievances. Complaints are currently dealt with by the Academic Senate, the university's faculty governing body.

Other unions have pledged to strike in sympathy of the GSI union, including clerical employees, researchers and nurses.

"It will have a dramatic impact on campus, not just because of the GSIs, but also because we have the support of other unions," Mehta said.

But UC officials and several unions are at odds on whether sympathy striking violates current contracts. If other unions do take to the picket lines, Schwartz said UC will take "all appropriate legal actions."

"Hopefully, this issue can be resolved without too many heads rolling" said UC Berkeley student Michael Duignan. "If not, and the strike persists throughout finals, life without GSIs will be hard for all students."

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