February 9, 2023
We, the undersigned, current international graduate student workers at USC, are collectively reaching out to you today to encourage you to vote YES in the upcoming union election during February 15th and 16th at Wallis Annenberg Hall, UPC, Clinical Sciences Center (CSC), Conference Room 250 (Harkness Conference Room) at HSC, and the Buck Institute (Feb 15 only – see full polling times and locations here).
International student workers are an integral part of the educational machinery at USC, making up 40 – 50% of the total graduate worker population. Our labor as teachers, lab workers and researchers is indispensable. Yet despite these contributions our voices and concerns continue to be ignored by the administration, with many international GSWs facing unfair working conditions, discrimination and abusive conduct as well as financial precarity. This is also made worse by the complex immigration and visa issues that many of us face. International students pay an invisible “tax” – loss of time, money, and opportunities – navigating hurdles that our domestic peers may not even be aware of. While USC claims to provide dedicated assistance through the Office of International Students, this office too-often fails to competently serve our community.
Without a union to represent our collective power we are forced to individually negotiate with the administration to resolve problems on a case-by-case basis, while shouldering the stress of running from pillar to post alone. A union of student workers will take the burden off individuals by providing a safe supportive space and community which will prioritize our interests and demands. Rather than being forced to accept the inadequate solutions proposed by USC administrators, our union will be built by us and for us. We will also have tangible support from UAW when we need it, including assistance with contract negotiations, grievance processes, and legal support, and if it comes to it, access to a strike and defense fund. Critically, as a part of the newly established UAW Region 6, we will be in solidarity with other unions in our region including our colleagues in the UC system, as well as aerospace and automobile workers across Southern California. For more information on our partnership with the UAW, check out our FAQ.
If we are to improve our working conditions it is essential that international student workers demonstrate their support for the union. Only through strong engagement can our demands be emphasized at the bargaining table. Winning the union election on February 15th and 16th is the first important step in ensuring this. Therefore, we urge you all to show your support by voting YES in this election.
If you are already planning to join us in voting “yes”, please let us know why here!
Chinese Translation
南加大国际生援工会信
大家好，
我们在文末联署的各位是来自南加州大学的国际生研究生工作人员。
国际生学生工作者是南加大教学职工的重要组成部分，
，却常常被学校的行政管理层忽视。
在没有工会代表我们的情况下，我们只能被迫单打独斗，
如果我们想要改变现状，
如果您已经打算加入我们的队伍投下赞成票，可以通过此链接向我们
In solidarity,
Kritika Pandey, Sociology
Simon Judkins, History
Rao, Computer Engineering
Laboni Bhattacharya, Cinema and Media Studies
Maria Labourt, Sociology
Zalan Fabian, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sulyab Thottungal Valapu, Computer Science
Tejas Srinivasan, Computer Science
Omid Hemmatyar, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Kennedy Chi-pan Wong, Sociology
Wynnie Nguyen, Programs in Biomedical and Biological Science
Ruiyi Li, Sociology
Bixing Qiao, Mathematics
Amer Melebari, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Vaclav Masek, Sociology
Juan Gonzalez, Economics
Pragya Arya, Psychology
Megha Devraj, Philosophy
Nathan Tsang, Sociology
Inger Flem Soto, Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture
Chloe Zhang, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Xinhui Yang, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Pornpailin Meklalit, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Tian Jing Teh, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Arnab Chakraborty, Sociology
Urmi Bhattacheryya, Sociology
Brian Kim, Computer Science
Yiyang Fang, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Amabel Jeon, Psychology
Suyanpeng Zhang, Industrial and Systems Engineering
Sina Baharlouei, Industrial and Systems Engineering
Brihi Joshi, Computer Science
Ruojiao Sun, Material Science
Dimple Sarnaaik, Physics and Astronomy
Atef Sheekhoon, Physics & Astronomy
Abdelrahman Haridy, Physics & Astronomy
Rashmi Gangwar, Physics & Astronomy
Jonas Schaab, Chemistry
Soumya Das, Physics & Astronomy
Antonis Margaritakis, Physics & Astronomy
Gilbert Boadu, Chemistry
Yang Goh, Chemistry
Zejing Wang, Mathematics
Chuankai Cheng, Biological Science
Jishnu Bose, Mathematics
Levon Hakobyan, Mathematics
Javad Ghorbanain, Civil Engineering
Pooyan Pahlavan, Electrical Engineering
Vahid Jalali Farahani, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dimple Sarnaaik, Physics & Astronomy
Haosen Wu, Mathematics
Emir Ceyani, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Nicholas De Araujo, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Mohamed Elsawaf, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sepehr Eskandari, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Chao Wang, Neuroscience
Tirthick Majumder, Chemistry
Ramin Tohidi, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Mohammad Mahdi Badami, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dandan Peng, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics