Statement by NYU Spokesman John Beckman on NLRB Decision Regarding Graduate Assistant Unionization

“From the beginning of the graduate assistant unionization process at NYU, the University made clear that it agreed with the National Labor Relations Board’s longstanding precedent that held that graduate assistants were students, not employees. We believed the NLRB decided wrongly in 2000, and we are gratified by today’s decision.

“We bargained in good faith, and achieved a fair contract with the UAW on behalf of the graduate assistants; that contract comes up for renewal in a year. The University will not make any decisions about its next steps until it has an opportunity to review today’s ruling carefully.”