Columbia, MO (KTRS)  – University of Missouri graduate student workers have overwhelmingly voted to unionize.

The Columbia Missourian reports about 84 percent of the 795 graduate students who voted were in favor of allowing the Coalition of Graduate Workers to represent them in collective bargaining. Voting took place on Monday and Tuesday.

University administrators still must recognize the union before negotiations can occur.
State law says employees have the right to form a union. However, the university has never officially classified graduate students as employees, despite a resolution passed by the Graduate Professional Council in February reaffirming the students’ rights as workers.

Graduate students are not required to join the union. Those who decided to join will have to pay a monthly fee.