Tuesday marks the first day that polls are open in the graduate student unionization elections after the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) declared in February that Penn State graduate students on assistantships and traineeships have union rights.

This week at University Park, as well as in the coming weeks at Commonwealth campuses, eligible graduate students will have a vote to choose whether or not to unionize.

The Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE) struggled back and forth with university administration, which made clear that it does not believe unionization is in the best interest of graduate students. Prior to voting, CGE celebrated its accomplishments to this point with a rally at Old Main.

“This is game day, y’all,” CGE co-president Jerome Clarke said to a round of cheers, kicking off the rally.

Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) president Dolores McCracken was on hand to speak at the rally and march with the students.

“It’s been an uphill battle, and you are going to make a very wise decision in the next few days,” she said. “We want you to know PSEA members will be with you every step of the way.”

On the route to Henderson Building, the voting location for Tuesday, the crowd chanted “the people united will never be divided.”

Graduate student unionization elections begin today and @cge_psu is marching to the polls. pic.twitter.com/YE89rxYXKY

— Onward State (@OnwardState) April 10, 2018

Voting continues in University Park through Friday at these times and locations:

• Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Charles W. Mann, Jr. Assembly Room of the Paterno Library
• Thursday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Charles W. Mann, Jr. Assembly Room of the Paterno Library
• Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Room W202 and W203 of the Millennium Science Complex