This page summarizes the wins achieved in SGWU’s bargaining with Stanford. Most of these will go into effect immediately upon ratification of the entire contract.

Full Length Tentative Agreement PDF

Read the bargaining committee’s recommendation here.

Click on the headers to view the Tentative Agreement.

1 Agreement

2 Recognition

3 Union Security

  • All covered workers will contribute to a strong union, members and non-members.
  • The university will handle dues or agency fees deductions via payroll.

4 Union Rights and Access

  • The union can designate stewards and officers who can conduct union business such as representation of members during the grievance process. They will be allowed to carry out union business to support our members without reprisal.
  • The union is allowed to book space for meetings and use Stanford email and bulletin boards
  • The contract will be posted publicly
  • The union has designated time during orientation to inform new grads about their rights

5 University Rights

6 Bargaining Unit Information

7 Grievance Procedure

  • Required meetings on a defined timeline between relevant union and university representatives to discuss grievances filed by graduate worker.
  • Independent arbitration is the final authority, not Stanford.
  • Union representation at every stage of the process

8 No Strike No Lockout

9 Discipline and Discharge

  • Progressive discipline: you cannot be fired for minor mistakes
  • Just cause needed for dismissal: you cannot be fired for arbitrary reasons
  • Union representation allowed in discipline meetings

10 Non-Discrimination

  • Grievability against advisor abuse, gender-based misconduct, and discrimination
  • The ability to bring a union representative to meetings and interviews throughout the Title IX process
  • The right to request monthly updates about a Title IX investigation

11 Inclusive Work Environment

  • The university will work with requesting graduate workers to provide access to gender-neutral restrooms, will provide free menstrual products in women’s and all gender workplace restrooms, and will respond to requests for placing menstrual products in men’s restrooms
  • A procedure for graduate workers to specify their name and pronouns in university online systems and a confidential portal for reporting incorrect name and pronoun usage by university systems
  • The university must provide disability accommodations in teaching and research and will work with the grad worker to figure out the necessary accommodation
  • Graduate workers can reschedule work obligations to attend medical appointments

12 Health and Safety

  • Guaranteed health and safe environment (beyond what is required by the law)
  • Guaranteed protection against retaliation for reporting safety concerns
  • If the university determines that a work environment is safe, they must explain to those concerned how they came to that conclusion and which relevant expert reached that conclusion

13 International Graduate Workers

  • Bechtel will respond to requests in a timely manner, and within five days for those who are stuck abroad
  • Support for those who are unable to return to the USA
  • CPT/OPT shall not be unreasonably denied

14 Appointment Security

  • If the university cancels an appointment, they have to find a replacement appointment or otherwise continue to pay the salary amount.

15 Appointment Notification

  • The university shall provide a letter containing appointment details 14 days before the start of the appointment

16 Appointment Posting

  • The university shall list unfilled appointment positions on a centralized application website
  • Graduate students will be able to apply to these positions through the portal

17 Professional Rights

  • Per diem for travel reimbursement: no more saving meal receipts
  • Latitude to participate in discussions, exercise professional judgment
  • Access to workspace and materials to perform their duties and the rights contained in the university research policy handbook
  • Protection for retaliation for reporting research misconduct
  • Transparency on where the funding for your work is coming from

18 Workload

  • Graduate workers can only be required to work an average of 20 hours a week on work that is not integral to their degree.
  • The University shall not use its authority to require a Graduate Worker to perform excessive hours of bargaining unit work.
  • Graduate workers cannot be required to attend work events at night, weekends, and on holidays without good reason.
  • As professionals, graduate workers have discretion to complete work at their own preferred time and dates.

19 Training

  • The university shall pay for any required trainings

20 Leaves and Time Off

  • 40 hours per year of paid sick leave
  • Requests for personal time off will not be unreasonably denied
  • 3 months of paid pregnancy leave
  • 2 weeks of paid parental leave for non-birth and adoptive parents

21 Compensation

  • Wage increases that exceed rent for a majority of the bargaining unit: ~13.3% raises over the life of the contract for those above the minimum stipend; ~15.4% raise of the minimum over the life of the contract
  • The University sends a letter committing to the next 2 years of published rent increases (4.0% and 3.5%) in support of the above bullet
  • Retroactive raise to Graduate Workers working in the Autumn quarter of 2024 of $600
  • The University confirmed during negotiations that fellows will receive pay increases
  • Raised hourly wage to $52 per hour in 2024-2025; $54 per hour in 2025-2026; $56 per hour in 2026-2027

Summary of Rate Changes:

Year/Current Rate 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27
University Minimum ($50616) $54052 (6.78%) $56348 (4.25%) $58460 (3.75%)
Most People ($51600) $54052 (4.75%) $56348 (4.25%) $58460 (3.75%)
Everyone Else 4.5% 4.0% 3.5%

22 Tuition & Fees

  • $1200 for international graduate workers, including fellows. which can help cover visa fees
  • Tuition coverage enshrined in the contract

23 Benefits

  • Expansion of Emergency Grant-In-Aid to cover chronic conditions and mental health co-pays
  • Raising the annual income cap for applying the Graduate Family Grant program
  • Explanations upon request when Emergency Grant-In-Aid is denied
  • Increase in the limit for the in the Graduate Student Aid Fund from $2500 to $4000 per year

24 Severablility

25 Complete Agreement

26 Duration

A Worker Status

B Caltrain GoPass Program

  • CalTrain GoPasses for graduate workers in commuter ZIP codes (see TA) for the duration of the contract

Weiland Letter

  • The university confirms that the Weiland Clinic is supported by endowed funds and will continue to offer services for the LGBTQ community

Guaranteed Funding

  • Stanford commits to funding PhD graduate workers for 5 years of their program
  • While workers might be required to apply to fellowships to help obtain funding, they will still be funded in the event that they do not receive fellowships

Housing Rates Letter

  • The university has published and is committed to rents for graduate housing that will increase on average at 4.0% and 3.5% in 2025-2056 and 2026-2027 respectively