# Graduate students are employees???



## Chris W (Aug 23, 2016)

Huh...



> The National Labor Relations Board ruled Tuesday that graduate students who work as teaching and research assistants at private universities are school employees, clearing the way for them to join or form unions that administrators must recognize.



Are they students? Or are they employees? NLRB rules that graduate students are employees.

Not sure how much it applies to FILM SCHOOL graduate students... but interesting nonetheless....


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## Patrick Clement (Aug 24, 2016)

Columbia Film MFA employs nearly the entire student body for 1-2 years during the MFA program, so this is big for us.


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## Chris W (Aug 24, 2016)

Patrick Clement said:


> Columbia Film MFA employs nearly the entire student body for 1-2 years during the MFA program, so this is big for us.



So that means you could theoretically try for better pay and health care?


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## Patrick Clement (Aug 26, 2016)

Chris W said:


> So that means you could theoretically try for better pay and health care?


Well, they pay us pretty good right now averaging about $20 an hour. In theory, I think we would probably get better benefits. We don't get any now. The administration is already pushing back and hoping to influence the upcoming in-or-out vote. I think wages will go up in other departments though.


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