INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FAQ

What do international grad students stand to gain through unionization?

International students have many reasons to join a union. Making up around 50% of Cornell graduate students, international students tend to be even more impacted by Cornell’s policies than domestic graduate students. For example, international students’ visas limit the number of hours they can work and prevent them from working off-campus, and many external fellowships and grants are only available to US citizens, making it even more critical that Cornell’s stipends are sufficient to cover living expenses. International students are also required to pay additional visa fees and cover travel expenses. They also often have to navigate an unfamiliar tax and immigration system, on top of figuring out housing, transportation, and healthcare in a new country.

Do international students have a right to unionize? 

Yes!

Your employee rights are the same as those of domestic employees, regardless of your immigration status. All employees in the U.S., regardless of national origin or immigration/visa status, can belong to a union and participate in legal union activities. This includes the right to: sign a union card and vote in union elections; organize with a union to negotiate better working conditions; talk about working conditions with your co-workers or a union; and take action with your co-workers to improve your working conditions.

How would striking work (for international students)?

International students have the same rights as U.S. citizens and permanent residents to participate in union activity, including strikes. Thousands of international student workers across the U.S. have been active in unions, including strikes, for more than 40 years, including here at Cornell. The administration’s anti-strike and anti-union campaigns often target international students’ fears about precarity about their immigration status. However, any retaliation from Cornell resulting from your union activity is illegal.

Could I be retaliated against/could my visa status be jeopardized if I'm involved in unionizing as an international student?

In nearly 40 years of graduate employee unionization, there has been no reported instance of any international student having issues with the law or with their employment status as a result of joining or participating in a union. The National Labor Relations Act protects the right of all employees in the US, regardless of visa status, to join or participate in a union. It would be illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for joining a union or working with other students to try to improve our working conditions. In addition, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) cannot ask you about participation in lawful union activity.