Mission
The Graduate Employee Union is committed to establishing a powerful, democratic, transparent organization of GAs advocating for fair wages, workplace protections, and healthcare.
Vision
We strive to work with the university to create a workplace that values graduate student employee contributions and supports graduate employees in their work and study.
Values
Community and Solidarity
We actively foster a community of intellectuals and professionals at Portland State University and promote the mutual interests of all working people through collaboration and cooperation with other people and groups on campus and in the wider city, state, and local community. We do this by creating an environment that is responsive to member concerns and viewpoints, involving graduate employees of all backgrounds and from all departments, supporting organizations that share our goals and values, and expressing solidarity with other labor organizations.
Organizing and Representation
We strive to empower graduate employees to exercise our rights to organize for collective, member-driven action. We encourage participation in union activities for all graduate employees regardless of age, sex, creed, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, body type, religious affiliation, political affiliation, ability, veteran status, parental status, or any other protected class, and we promote union rights and liberties.
Equity and Justice
We fight all forms of bias on the basis of race, creed, religious affiliation, sex, age, disability, body type, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, lifestyle, political affiliation, economic status, color, ethnicity, national origin, parental status, veteran status, or other characteristics subject to discrimination. We advance fairness in graduate employee hiring practices, equitable treatment of all graduate employees, and equal and adequate representation for all members in union decision-making.