The most frustrating thing to me about UMich's response to the strike led by @geo3550 is that the university now suddenly considers us to be employees rather than trainees. 1/5

During the majority of the summer, graduate students were not allowed access to on-campus parking because the university had decided that although we were essential laborers, we were not employees with enough standing to warrant access to parking during a pandemic. 2/5

This is a line that I've seen the university flirt with consistently in my four years as a graduate student at UMich—under normal circumstances, graduate students are trainees and students, because that allows the administration to limit our voice to the role of an intern. 3/5

However, whenever there is a question of a strike, or any withheld labor, the university immediately shifts its tone and by telling us that we are employees first and foremost. Which is it? Are we trainees or employees? Because UMich can't seem to decide. 4/5

In either case, the university has no qualms with exploiting the labor of its trainees while ignoring the concerns of its employees. It's frustrating normally, but it's egregious during a pandemic.

This got big-ish, so here's some extra stuff: #BlackLivesMatter
#BlackTransLivesMatter
#DefundThePolice

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