Graduate student workers secure first contract with University of Maine System

[Education](/section/education) Graduate student workers secure first contract with University of Maine System The tentative agreement comes after 700 days of negotiations.   Author: Brianna Bush ORONO, Maine — After more than 700 days of negotiations, the [University of Maine System](https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2025/12/18/university-of-maine-system-graduate-student-workers-union-achieve-first-collective-bargaining-agreement/) reached a tentative agreement with the graduate student workers union for its first-ever contract. “It took lot of organizing power for years. Hundreds of grad workers came together for each of the issues, and we fought really hard,” Andrea Tirrell, a bargaining committee member for the [University of Maine Graduate Workers Union](https://umaine-gradworkers.org/), said. Accessibility was one of the issues students raised to leaders with the University of Maine System.  "It's incredibly dangerous \[for wheelchair users\],” disabled veteran, Lincoln Tiner, said.   Tiner wa... --- *Note: This is a summarized excerpt. Click the source link above to read the full story.*