Here’s an article I wrote for South Central Federation of Labor’s Union Labor News. Also working on an Op Ed for the Cap Times so big moves coming in local Wisconsin publications. Interestingly, the fight for paid leave has been less contentious than the fight for fair pay.
I wonder why. Maybe because at my institution nobody gets leave- not even faculty, so it’s a broader issue. It’s also more clearly targeting a subset of vulnerable people- parents. And that it’s a common benefit seen in many workplaces and institutions. It may require less of a power struggle. I’m not sure why. What do you think? Anyway.
The TAA’s fight for paid leave
There are over 9,000 graduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Not one has the right to paid leave.
Students who have a child are allowed six weeks of unpaid leave, then must return to work or lose their health insurance.
“[I left] my 6-week-old baby,” a graduate student said, “with minimal childcare that I could not afford.”
In contrast, a UW-Madison police horse was given twelve weeks after giving birth to recover and take care of her foal, journalist JT Cestkowski pointed out.
“The police department is letting her take all of the time she needs,” Cestowski wrote in Tone Madison, “And her time off will be paid. […] the department covers her housing, medical care, and all of her meals. Despite her taking these months off of the job, she will not have to worry about starving.”
The University’s graduate worker union, the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA), is demanding 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all graduate workers in an open letter to Chancellor Mnookin.
“Speaking as a mother,” a graduate student said, “I can tell you that those 12 weeks (and well beyond) are a round-the-clock job.”
Letter signees have the option to anonymously share their experiences. Sign the letter here: bit.ly/paidLeaveNow or go to the website, taa-madison.org.
I am one of the co-presidents of the TAA. Though we are considered graduate students, we work for the University to make our living. The type and compensation of employment varies by field of study; graduate student workers teach, conduct research, analyze data, grade papers, write grants, create new technologies, hold office hours, make discoveries, contribute to human knowledge.
We hear often that because we are students we do not deserve fair treatment; we hear that parenthood is at odds with our career.
“I had a child while writing my dissertation,” a graduate student said, “and received disparaging comments from a committee member - laughing, he said that I’d never finish. Ultimately, I chose my family over my degree.”
One student said, aptly: “[my advisor] "jokingly" told me directly to not get pregnant.”
Wisconsin’s strict anti-abortion laws prove another challenge. We have restricted access to abortion, yet we are not guaranteed paid time off if we become pregnant. What, then, are we supposed to do?
We realize that any time off to take care of themselves or family members is seen by the University as some sort of annoyance, inconvenience.
“I am a disabled graduate student that had to work through a very intense flare of my chronic illness,” a student said, “and when I reached out for help I was told [my] only option was to drop out and re-apply.”
Other students report difficulty in taking time off for mental health or bereavement. It is often up to an individual’s advisor whether or not time off will be granted, and for how long. Nothing is guaranteed.
But all workers should have the right to live while they work. To go through life: parenthood, sickness, and health, without undue harm.
“I’m lucky that the stress didn’t seem to impact my physical health or my son’s physical development too much,” a graduate student said, “but keep in mind that stress during pregnancy does have severe, physical health ramifications, especially for minority women, such as predisposing to hypertension and preeclampsia.”
A scholar in counseling psychology added: “I have learned that parental leave policies influence children as infants and throughout their lives. Better parental leave will facilitate attachment and well-being for mentally healthier future students and citizens.” The science that we devote our lives to study proves that we need care we do not receive.
The TAA has been representing graduate student workers since 1969. It is called the Teaching Assistants’ Association, but really represents all graduate workers. Many of the touted benefits of earning an advanced degree, such as full tuition remission and health insurance, were hard-won by the union. Though Act 10 has significantly limited our right to collective bargaining, we have been getting creative - successfully.
Graduate workers in Microbiology and Cellular & Molecular Biology programs won raises, student fee remission, improvements to DEI initiatives, and increased decision-making transparency by majority petition. Showing that we stand together has been incredibly powerful in securing rights and protections for ourselves and future workers, despite state restrictions.
We believe our paid leave campaign will be no different. A decade-long investigation into the current policy (and lack thereof) by University administration has finally concluded, with no tangible solution in sight. Despite recommendation from the Associated Students of Madison, the Faculty Senate, and Academic Staff Assembly, there has been no movement.
It is only through organizing together, as a union, that we will be able to ensure that all graduate students are guaranteed time to have a family, time to heal, time for life, while they are working, and yes, learning too.