General Strike FAQs

A strike is an organized and collective work stoppage by a group of employees, usually to force the employer to accept the employees' demands or to protest an alleged unfair labor practice. The striking employees might organize picket lines in front of their work areas (and often elsewhere) where they hold signs, march, and chant. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) provides additional information regarding the right to strike and a definition of lawful and unlawful strikes.

GOLD-UE, the union representing graduate students at Dartmouth, scheduled a Strike Authorization Vote for April 15-17, 2024. A strike authorization vote is a vote that authorizes the union's bargaining team to call a strike if they believe the situation justifies one.

The union has scheduled voting over three days, at different locations, for its members to vote in person or online; voting started on the evening of April 15. The union's bylaws will determine how the vote will work and how many votes are needed to secure authorization.

At this time, we do not know. This website will be updated regularly as we learn more.

We do not know. Dartmouth is working hard to bargain a fair contract, including a 17.5% increase in the first-year stipend, with guaranteed annual increases of 3% or by the 12-month percentage change in the CPI-W in the prior calendar year, whichever is larger; a fund for dependent healthcare; a fund for childcare and other expenses union members' find prohibitive; continuing our 5-year guarantee for funding, and an additional one-time payment for international students to help defer the cost of fees associated with their status.

Faculty should be prepared for this eventuality and adapt their syllabi, assessments, and research plans accordingly.

Dartmouth is continuing to bargain in good faith. Given the progress made at the bargaining table so far, the generous proposals Dartmouth has made, and the fact that Dartmouth graduate students already receive a comprehensive package of stipend, health benefits, and tuition remission, we believe we should be able to reach a fair contract agreement via the bargaining process. As such, a strike is entirely unwarranted.

Since bargaining began in August 2023, we have reached 17 Tentative Agreements (articles to be included in the contract) and responded to all of the union's demands—including proposing an economic package that sends a clear signal that Dartmouth appreciates the contributions of its graduate students, takes its concerns seriously, and will work cooperatively with union negotiators to provide further enhancements to the comprehensive funding packages it already provides. We will continue to meet regularly and engage in honest dialogue to reach a fair and equitable contract as soon as possible.

The union will likely ask that all members of the bargaining unit strike. The National Labor Relations Board certified a bargaining unit that consists of all graduate students enrolled in Dartmouth College degree programs who are employed to provide teaching and research services.

No. The decision to strike or not is an individual one. The union cannot force graduate students to go on strike.

Many graduate students will have good reasons for choosing not to strike, such as continuing to progress on their research and experiments, preparing to graduate, fulfilling their TA training requirements, or having different views.

Just as faculty may not retaliate against graduate students who choose to strike, graduate students who continue working during a strike should be welcome to do so without fear of negative repercussions from faculty, staff, or fellow students. Strike or no strike, every student member of the Dartmouth community is expected to conduct themselves according to the principles and policies laid out in Dartmouth's policies and Principles of Community.

Yes, International Students are able to strike if they so choose. Striking will not impact visa status. International Students with concerns about the strike are encouraged to reach out to Guarini School of Graduate Studies and/or OVIS.

Graduate students are permitted to picket or demonstrate in open-air spaces on campus in compliance with Dartmouth policies. Picketing or demonstrating within Dartmouth buildings is only permitted with appropriate authorization. Posting flyers and other literature in or on Dartmouth buildings is subject to Dartmouth-wide and building-specific policies. If you have questions or issues arise, please email StrikeQuestions@dartmouth.edu