Harvard Grad Union Starts Strike, Signals Indefinite Action

Harvard’s graduate student union has begun its strike after the University failed to make “significant movement” before the midnight deadline, according to bargaining committee member Denish Jaswal.

“The strike starts now,” Jaswal said, adding that picketing will begin early Tuesday morning, around 6 a.m.

Jaswal said the union’s goal remains to secure a fair contract, calling the escalation “unfortunate” after more than a year of negotiations.

“A strike is a way to make it known that the workers are willing to take action to fight for what they need in their workplaces,” she said.

She added that the union is prepared to end the strike if negotiations move forward.

“We will very happily call off the strike,” she said. “But until that point, we will remain on strike indefinitely.”

Picketing is set to begin early Tuesday morning at the Science Center Plaza and Countway Plaza in Longwood, continuing through the late afternoon, according to an HGSU-UAW schedule.