More than 60 individuals signed a resolution Wednesday that “demand[s]” USC keep to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement that was ratified December 2023 at the Graduate Student Worker Organizing Committee United Auto Workers Local Chapter 872 mass membership meeting titled, “USC, Keep the Promise.”

Shenali Pilapitiya, the event’s master of ceremonies, a teaching assistant in the department of political science and international relations, and a doctoral student studying political science and international relations, said the group will present the resolution to the University and will wait for a response before determining any further action.

“For the time being, we remain committed to organize as a graduate worker union … we’ll continue to organize just like this until [the University] listen[s] to us,” Pilapitiya said.

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The resolution claims there will be a reduction in the total number of graduate worker holidays from 30 to 16 and new eligibility criteria for childcare and dependent healthcare funds. The resolution also states the criteria changes have led to an increase in rejected applications and that the University has “failed” to support the parents and dependents of graduate workers through short-term hardship grants.

“If USC does not provide a viable resolution by winter break, we are resolved to discuss with our coworkers how to approach winter break, and act in accordance with our collective decision,” the resolution read.

In a statement to the Daily Trojan, the University said it continues to work in “good faith” with the union and follow the terms of the contract.

The event began as a gathering in Hahn Plaza before an estimated 100 attendees marched to the lawn outside the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where they heard speeches from graduate workers who outlined their grievances with the University.

A post on GSWOC’s website claimed the University split the winter recess holiday into a winter recess and a winter holiday which limited time off for graduate workers without informing or consulting any workers.

Connor Sauceda, a worker at the Viterbi School of Engineering’s Summer High School Intensive in Next-Generation Engineering program and a doctoral student studying environmental engineering, said the reduction in holiday disproportionately affects international students as it takes away their ability to go home for the break.

In a speech, Sauceda read a testimonial from a friend of his who said she often works from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is sometimes not allowed to take a lunch break. Due to her being a 15-hour flight from home, Sauceda’s friend said she would be unable to go home over break.