Beginning in September 2022 and over the course of 12 months, the MIT bargaining team negotiated with the GSU. The teams met more than 20 times to reach a first contract.

MIT’s principles guiding the negotiations included:

• Fulfilling our responsibility to serve the entire community, understanding implications on overall enterprise, including all graduate students and undergraduate students
• Ensuring students have flexibility to make their own choices — avoiding unnecessary mandates, including union membership
• Refraining from bargaining on academic matters
• Protecting the effectiveness of the research and discovery enterprise
• Protecting the unique nature of teacher-learner relationship
• Ensuring the Institute remains competitive and continues to attract top talent
• Ensuring equity with respect to our other employees
• Ensuring fiscal responsibility for this generation at MIT and future generations