Why grad assistants are trying to organize at Univ. of Minn.

Organizers of the unionization of University of Minnesota's graduate assistants say they'll be working through the summer to boost even higher the number of student cards calling for a union election.

Supporters say they want collective bargaining for pay and benefits, and want a better way to resolve work issues.

The Minnesota Daily reports the attitude of Amit Singh, a second-year doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering:

“We cannot talk [out] these kinds of issues one-by-one,” he said. Assistants need the ability “[to] talk to the University on an equal footing.”

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