Skip to main content

September 29, 2022

Page 1

IDS Thursday, September 29, 2022

Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com

2022 School Board Election Guide, p. 14

Grad workers vote no on strike, union still goal By Haley Ryan

haryan@iu.edu | @haley__ryan

After more than three years of protesting working conditions at IU which culminated last spring in a weekslong strike, members of the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition-United Electrical Workers voted no to strike again. Since the last strike ended in May, IU has announced policy changes that address the IGWC-UE’s five main demands but has withheld union recognition. The IGWC-UE formed in 2019 to fight for improved working conditions for graduate workers. IGWCUE began pushing for union recognition last fall, after the March 2021 fee strike. IU rejected the IGWC-UE request for a union election last February and still maintains this position. The Coordinating Committee, an elected group within the coalition, recommended Friday for members to vote against the strike. In a statement, the committee expressed hope that ongoing negotiations with Bloomington Faculty Council and the Graduate and Professional Student Government, which would last beyond the Monday strike vote deadline, would lead to partial union recognition this semester, making a strike unnecessary right now. In May, the Bloomington Faculty Council voted in favor of recognizing the graduate workers union, passing two resolutions which IGWC-UE’s Twitter celebrated

as victories. While the BFC lacks the power to recognize the union officially on behalf of the university — that decision falls to the Board of Trustees — the resolutions serve as a call to action for the IU community. The first resolution asserts the power to reappoint student academic appointees — graduate students who hold part-time teaching or research appointments — belongs to departments, not the vice provost for faculty and academic affairs or the provost, and that no SAA will risk future reappointment for striking. Resolution 3B urged the Board of Trustees to arrange an election for union recognition and for IU administrators to talk immediately with IGWC-UE. Despite the BFC’s encouragement, the Board of Trustees refused to recognize the graduate workers union in May in a letter to the BFC obtained by the Indiana Daily Student. The Board acknowledged working conditions for SAAs need improvements, but said a graduate workers union would be “incompatible” with IU’s approach. In July, graduate workers signed a contract to continue working at IU. Due to IU’s refusal to allow the workers to negotiate the contract’s terms as a union, the coalition released a petition stating its members were forced to sign the contract under duress. SEE GRADUATE, PAGE 4

IDS FILE PHOTO BY WESTON KILGORE

Then-juniors Sophie Hall and Sidd Das hold strike signs at the Chemistry Building on April 14, 2022. The IGWC-UE's coordinating committee recommended membersvote against the strike in hopes that ongoing negotiations would lead to partial union recognition this semester, making a strike unnecessary right now.

IDS FILE PHOTO BY AVERY ANTILL

Protestors gather in support of the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition-United Electrical Workers' efforts to have IU recognize their union on April 14, 2022, between Ballantine Hall and the Chemistry Building. Between Saturday and Monday, the IGWC-UE’s around 1,900 members will virtually vote on whether to authorize another strike, which would start Tuesday.

‘I would’ve wished for a lifetime more’: Vigil commemorates Nate Stratton’s life By Helen Rummel

hrummel@iu.edu | @helenrummel

Quinn Smith, a junior at IU, arrived at Showalter Fountain on Sept. 22, 2022, afternoon to tell his friend one more time how much he loved him. “There weren’t many times when Nate was living with us that I got to tell him I love him,” Smith said to a crowd that had gathered. ELLA BOOZER | IDS “But I’ll tell him one more Family and friends of Nate Stratton share a hug during a vigil for time today.” Stratton on Sept. 22, 2022, at Showalter Fountain. Smith and Gonzalez At 7 p.m. on Sept. 22, both said that Stratton's infectious smile, fun personality and impact on 2022, more than 200 people the IU community will always be remembered.

congregated to remember the life of Nate Stratton, who was killed in the early morning of Sept. 18 by an alleged drunk driver. Amongst the crowd, people held candles and one another’s hands as friends and family shared their stories of Stratton. His friends said Stratton always offered friendship to those around him, was always eager to try something new and he adored lite lemonade. Smith and Aidan GonSEE VIGIL, PAGE 4

Women, alleged to have killed IU student in e-scooter hit and run, charged with 3 felonies By Christina Avery

averycm@iu.edu | @christym_avery

Bloomington resident Madelyn Howard, who allegedly struck and killed an IU student riding an electric scooter in a hit-and-run incident Sept. 18, has been charged with three felonies by Monroe County Prosecutor Erika Oliphant. Howard, 22, was charged with reckless homicide, allegedly operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in death and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious

bodily injury or death while intoxicated. All three charges are felonies. Nate Stratton, 20, died Sept. 18 after Howard, allegedly driving drunk, reportedly hit him with her car at the intersection of North Walnut Street and East 12th Street around 2 a.m. Stratton had been making his way back from the Raising Cane’s restaurant. Bloomington Police Department officers responded to the scene and found a black 2012 Mercedes SEE E-SCOOTER, PAGE 4


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook