Support DGSU's demand for $50,000 per year by signing this petition.
Dear Duke University Administration,
Earlier this month, Duke's VP for Human Resources, Antwan Lofton, affirmed Duke's commitment to “supporting frontline staff who support this institution and its ability to deliver exceptional patient care, education, and research.” We, the graduate workers at Duke University, are proud to contribute to this mission every day. As integral members of the university community, we teach and mentor undergraduate students, staff key labs and programs, and enhance Duke's reputation through our quality research and scholarly contributions.
However, these valuable contributions are not reflected in our wages. Graduate workers still earn less than a living wage in Durham County. According to the MIT living wage calculator, a living wage for a single adult with no dependents in Durham County is $49,531. Factoring in just one dependent brings this figure to $85,292. Graduate workers make only $38,600 annually, while facing housing and healthcare costs in Durham higher than the national average. Last year's historic raise, attained through the organizing efforts of graduate workers, was a measure too little, too late.
Fair compensation for graduate workers is a matter of equity and justice, as well as an investment in the university's long-term success. In the last year, higher education institutions across the country have answered the call to recognize the labor of graduate workers with fair compensation. In December, Harvard and Yale raised annual stipends for graduate workers to $50,000 and $49,538 minimums, respectively. Duke's stipends now lag significantly behind its peer R1 institutions.
Graduate workers are paid less at Duke than they are at Stanford, MIT, and all but one Ivy League university. Alongside its peers, Duke should recognize that competitive pay is crucial to fulfilling the goal of attracting and supporting a diverse group of talented graduate workers. Fair compensation is key to maintaining the quality of our academic programs and upholding Duke's reputation as a leading research institution.
Duke University also plays a vital role in setting labor standards in our community. As the single largest employer in Durham, Duke sets a critical precedent for fair and equitable compensation practices. In January, the United Electrical Workers Union local 150 (UE150), which represents North Carolina Public Service Workers, launched a campaign to demand the dignified wage of $25 an hour, supported by the Durham Worker's Assembly. We join their fight to raise the minimum wage in Durham County to $50,000 per year. Organizations across the Triangle look to Duke to lead as a fair and equitable employer. By ensuring that graduate workers receive a living wage, Duke can lead by example and contribute to the economic well-being of our community.
Duke graduate workers are professionals. We are parents and caretakers, responsible for providing for our families. Like all workers, we deserve security and the ability to plan for the future.
Therefore we, the undersigned, urge Duke University to agree to our proposed contract article and increase graduate worker pay to a minimum of the competitive rate of $50,000, with cost of living adjustments and a supplement for dependents. Doing so is a necessary step towards achieving its mission to create a campus accessible to all, where researchers and scholars from all socioeconomic backgrounds can live and thrive.
This article was published first by the Duke Graduate Student Union.
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