Cornell student challenges union control over graduate peers

Russell Burgett, a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University, has filed federal charges against the Cornell Graduate Student Union (CGSU), an affiliate of United Electrical, seeking to challenge its authority over graduate students. The case was submitted to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with legal support from attorneys at the National Right to Work Foundation.

The charges aim to question the 2016 Columbia University ruling by the Obama NLRB, which allowed union representation for graduate students at private universities like MIT and Cornell. Burgett's opposition stems from his belief that graduate students should not be classified as "employees" under the National Labor Relations Act.

Burgett argues that forcing students to adhere to union contracts or pay dues infringes on their rights and violates federal labor laws. He contends that these contracts are illegal as they prevent universities from engaging with non-union-supporting students.