BREAKING: MIT and the GSU reach tentative agreement
The GSU moves to ratify second contract with MIT, pauses planned strike
On Nov. 10, after 200 days of bargaining, a passed strike authorization vote, and a planned strike, the MIT Graduate Student Union (GSU) reached a tentative agreement with the MIT bargaining team.
Since April 2026, the GSU has been negotiating for international student protections, status of graduate fellows, increased pay and benefits, a living wage for its graduate workers, health care, disciplinary protections, and union security. The GSU passed its first ever strike authorization vote on Oct. 22, and had planned for a strike on Nov. 12, which is now “paused,” pending contract ratification.
The strike threat, according to an email from the GSU at 6:24 p.m., moved MIT to grant graduate students increases in compensation, more flexible vacation distribution, international worker protections, healthcare benefits, and the union shop won by the GSU in their first contract fight.
The more specific union wins include increased pay matching inflation — 3.5% in 2026 (with retropay), 3.25% in 2027, and 3.25% in 2028. The paycheck for retropay will be distributed within two months of the agreement’s ratification.
Furthermore, MIT GSU won on establishing the Immigration Support Fund, which provides for $60,000 a year for engaging with a lawyer, with consideration for extraordinary circumstances. MIT had originally proposed $25,000 for the fund.
Healthcare bargaining terminated discussion of unilateral discretion from MIT to change or remove healthcare benefits, and the union negotiated a $50 increase to their deductible and emergency room co-pay, in contrast to MIT’s original proposal to triple the deductible.
“This incredible tentative agreement was only won through the collective efforts of each and every one of our members. At every turn, we had to fight back concessionary proposals from MIT,” said Lauren Chua G, graduate worker in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and MIT GSU President, in the GSU’s press release. “Only through having a majority of us ready to strike [were we] able to secure wins on all of our strike issues.”
Provost Anantha Chandrakasan, Chancellor Melissa Nobles, and Vice Chancellor for Graduate and Undergraduate Education David L. Darmofal, who represent MIT’s bargaining team, announced the agreement at 3:49 p.m. They said the contract balances MIT’s negotiations principles and the GSU’s priorities, and also spoke to an appreciation of the GSU’s commitment to “good-faith bargaining over the course of negotiations.”
The GSU’s Bargaining and Grievance Committee “unanimously recommends” the union to vote ‘yes’ to the contract. The ratification vote will open 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12 and close 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15.