Don't Cross the Picket Line, Join It

By Mae T. Weir

By Olivia G. Pasquerella, Contributing Opinion Writer
Olivia G. Pasquerella ’26 is a Social Studies and Philosophy concentrator in the Dudley Co-Op. They are a member of the Student Labor Action Movement.
7 hours ago

As of April 21, the Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers is on strike. After more than 15 months of contract negotiations, Harvard is refusing to engage with several of the union’s core demands.

HGSU-UAW is demanding more robust protections for non-citizen workers, for wages adjusted to inflation and the cost of living, and for real recourse against harassment and discrimination.

HGSU-UAW’s strike disrupts the normal academic functioning of the University — but this disruption is necessary to bolster the very foundation for their essential academic labor.

The workplaces of our teaching fellows, course assistants, and research assistants are our classrooms. As undergraduates, we also benefit from safe and equitable academic environments in which workers are fairly compensated for the value of their labor.

FULL story: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/4/27/pasquerella-harvard-hgsu-strike/