balance 44 catamaran

Yachting World

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First look: Balance 442 – lightweight, fast catamaran

• Toby Hodges
• July 25, 2022

Toby Hodges casts his eye over the new Balance 442, a new performance catamaran which saw 30 orders placed before the first one was out of the factory

Although relatively heavy designs that maximise space and comfort still dominate the market, demand for lightweight and fast cruising catamarans appears to be increasing dramatically, with this South African yard reporting unprecedented demand as they launched the Balance 442.

In terms of both concept and layout the Balance 442 is in many ways a scaled down version of the 482 that made its European premiere at the recent International Multihull Show at La Grande Motte.

It offers an appealing mix of a high performance potential allied to an easily tamed self-tacking rig with a deck layout optimised for easy solo watch-keeping while on passage. The first boat has already hit speeds of more than 13 knots on early sea trials off Cape Town.

It’s available with fixed keels or daggerboards, the latter giving a minimum draught of only 1.05m (3ft 6in). All but a handful of the 30 orders placed so far have specified the daggerboards.

Overall, this a very appealing design for anyone looking for a fast boat that’s fun to sail, but who also wants the advantages that a multihull brings to life on board.

Balance 442 specifications

LOA: 13.50m / 44ft 4in Beam: 7.6m / 24ft 11in Draught (boards down): 2.15m / 7ft 1in Displacement: 10,750kg / 23,704lb Base price: US$820,000 ex VAT Builder: balancecatamarans.com

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Balance 442 - 44 feet of expertise on two hulls

Very elegant on the water - here off Cape Town - the Balance has a beautiful sail plan with this Code 0 of almost 645 sq ft (60m²).

Seen from ahead, the Balance 442 has very slender bows and sporty lines.

The 442 performs well on almost any point of sail and regularly reaches wind speed. You’ll probably get there sooner than expected!

Practical info

• Builder : BALANCE CATAMARANS
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• Available in issue # 187

Boat Test price $5.00 Inc. tax

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After the 526 and the 482, the Balance shipyard unveiled the 442 at the Annapolis boat show. A catamaran with a compact format and a style directly inherited from the 482. A sort of concentrate of know-how since the shipyard took the same recipe used for the previous models: the alliance of performance and ease of use. A perfect opportunity for a “chilly” sea trial in the magnificent Chesapeake Bay.

The thermometer showed only 47°F (8°C) when Phil Berman, the ship-yard’s boss, came to pick us up on the pontoons in Annapolis, Maryland. An autumnal temperature accentuated by 12 knots of wind, but when you’re having fun, the weather doesn’t matter. What’s more, a trip to the Chesapeake Bay is not to be refused, and even less so when the subject of the day is none other than the brand-new Balance 442. Still relatively young, since it will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023, the Balance Catamarans brand currently has five models ranging from 44 to 62 feet, while awaiting the arrival of the 750, a 75-foot catamaran that should be ready by the end of 2023 or during 2024. The main idea behind the brand is to offer high-performance catamarans that are easy to handle and comfortable to spend a lot of time on board. It must be said that performance runs in the veins of the founder of Balance catamarans, Phillip Berman who was Hobie Cat world champion in 1979, in South Africa. An interesting coincidence since it is precisely in this country, in Cape Town, that the ...

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Balance 442 “Lasai” Set to Debut

• By Cruising World Staff
• March 20, 2024

Balance Catamarans is preparing for the premiere of its newest Balance 442 catamaran. The debut is scheduled to take place at the International Multihull Boat Show in La Grande Motte, France, from April 3-7.

The owners of the latest 442 model, which has been christened Lasai , are the couple known as the “Tipsy Nomads” online. They’ve been using the boat for the past few months in the Mediterranean, including cruising it to the Cannes Yachting Festival.

Their YouTube and Instagram channels include photos and videos from these first days on board Lasai .

On the Balance 442, Cruising World editor-at-large Herb McCormick described his experience aboard the model as “a 44-foot catamaran that punches above its weight, and a performance-oriented platform that’s also ideal for ocean sailing and living aboard.”

“Under sail … I truly began to appreciate the 442’s proportions, and came to realize what an ideal-size boat this is for a cruising couple,” said McCormick. “It’s large enough to address most any cruisers’ plans and itinerary, but not so big that you need to bring additional crew on board to go cruising.”

Read his full report on the model HERE .

More about Hull No. 6 of the Balance 442: Phil Berman, founder of Balance Catamarans, calls Lasai a stunning catamaran with ecologically sourced bamboo veneers on its handmade cabinets. “We are looking forward to showing her off at La Grande Motte this year,” he said.

Where to learn more: click over to balancecatamarans.com

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Balance Catamarans launches its first Balance 442 Umoya

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New yachts for sale, sail catamarans 40ft > 50ft,        balance catamarans boats for sale, balance catamarans 442 boats for sale.

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Performance or & Comfort

The agile multi-tasker is the ideal performance cruiser for island hoppers yet fully capable of trans-oceanic adventure travel.

Our trend-setting circumnavigator ticks off big nautical miles yet remains small enough to easily maintain and operate short-handed.

With her heavily carbon reinforced structures and total epoxy construction she sails like a racer yet remains amazingly easy to operate and maintain.

The ultra high-performance voyager was designed for sailors with speed in their hearts but luxury on their minds.

Our long-distance, off-the-grid, expeditionary speedster was uniquely designed to carry significant cruising payloads without bogging down.

Our stunning new flagship is a ground-breaking super-high-performance luxury adventurer that sports both a forward cockpit and dual bulkhead helms.

Like many insurgent brands, Balance was born from our frustration. The catamaran market had simply become dominated by charter cats or racing cats, leaving few options for those seeking something in-between. We took our collective experience born from thousands of miles at sea to design and create truly balanced, handcrafted performance catamarans that would offer our customers years of blissful living and sailing.

Why Balance

Performance.

Our cats are beautiful on the dock and a joy to live in, but are most at home hitting 12 knots over open seas.

Craftsmanship

Every vessel is designed and built by a passionate team of craftspeople at our South Africa factories.

From bow to stern, we improve on the proven and innovate when necessary.

We are world-class sailors who saw a need for catamarans that merge open-water performance and modern livability.

We were born out of listening to sailors and continue to grow and innovate by being a part of the Balance community.

“It has been a privilege to work so closely with Anton, Jonathan, Roger and Phil to build my dream boat.”

“It’s the whole package. Performance, safety, comfort, ease of use/maintenance, quality. Not to parrot their marketing material – but they really did find the perfect balance.”

“Having owned and maintained more than a dozen yachts, including a Hinkley, Oyster, J-boats, Swan and Nautitech, Balance is by far and away the best boat I have ever owned and sailed!”

“Aesthetics were also a big factor for us in deciding to order our new Balance 526. We find her crisp contemporary lines and modern interior finishes to be satisfying to our eyes. Also, as experienced sailors, we were drawn to the fact that the 526 is a truly handmade labor of love crafted by passionate builders who were happy to let us make a wide range of choices on finishes and equipment that larger production builders will not accommodate.”

“Superb craftsmanship, delightful to work with, and absolutely beautiful boats.”

“She’s pretty, she’s built like a rock, she’s light, super intelligently designed and is going to be a blast to sail. I think the name Balance says it all.”

“Balance Catamarans, being a smaller, high-end, boutique shipyard, were prepared to work carefully with me to build the catamaran of my dreams.”

“As experienced sailors, we were drawn to the fact that a Balance is a truly hand-made labor of love crafted by passionate builders who were happy to let us make a wide range of choices on finishes and equipment.”

“After years of planning we found Balance Catamarans to be the best combination of performance, quality of build and value on the market.”

“Every once in a while, you connect with a group of people you know will always be in your life in a very good way. I think building in South Africa, you get a lot more for your money. The craftsmanship is top-notch.”

“The team at Balance has an attention to detail, workmanship and overall quality that makes us very proud to be part of the Balance family.”

“Balance Catamarans were the perfect compromise for us as they are fast, comfortable, practical, beautiful and very well built, by people who also love to sail.”

News & Events

Latest 526 Boasts Exciting New Interior Look

Boat test: Balance 482 catamaran

Balance 442: Cruising World Has Something To Say

“Truly impressive…With the scaled-down 442, Balance fills out the family offering with dimensions and a price point that make their designs more accessible to a broader swath of the cruising market. The result is a performance catamaran that’s perfectly positioned to appeal to an experienced sailing couple looking for quality, livability, speed, and savvy systems, all in a true 44-foot package that is a kick to sail.”

“The choice of materials is qualitative (the foam core and wood veneer for furniture), as well as the overall finish, in a word: impeccable.”

“I think the Balance 526 represents an important moment in the history of multihull design and evolution…there was something missing in the marketplace that Phil recognized: a high-performance voyaging cat that an experienced couple could take anywhere…finally, we have that a couple can really sail well.”

“Pretty as she is, every aspect of her design seems to have been refracted through a simplicity prism. Access for repairs is exceptional. The movement from helm to side decks and from side decks to foredecks is a breeze. The wiring and systems installations all reflect a commitment to functional excellence.”

“Several Balance 526 owners have reported 24-hour periods covering 260 miles or more. This is one very, very fast catamaran, laden or empty.”

Andy Murray beats weary Matteo Berrettini to advance at the Miami Open

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Andy Murray won another lengthy match with Matteo Berrettini, who appeared weary and leaned on his racket to keep his balance during Murray’s 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory Wednesday at the Miami Open.

Playing his first match on the ATP Tour this season, Berrettini was serving with Murray leading 5-2 in the second set when he seemed to become dizzy, resting his racket on the court to hold himself up. He was visited by a medical attendant, who checked his blood pressure before play continued.

Berrettini left the court after dropping that set but was able to finish the match, which last 2 hours, 49 minutes.

It was a rematch of Murray’s 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (10-6) victory that lasted more than 4 1/2 hours in the first round of the 2023 Australian Open.

“It was obviously a great win for me,” Murray said. “Started off a little bit slow but then I did think I played pretty well across then end of the first set through to the end of the match. Created a lot of opportunities and he was struggling for a little bit end of the second and beginning of the third, and I capitalized on that and got off to a quick start in the third and served it out well at the end.”

Plagued by injuries, Berrettini hadn’t played a match on tour since being forced to retire during his match in the second round of last year’s U.S. Open. The 2021 Wimbledon runner-up returned last week and reached the final of a Challenger tour tournament in Phoenix.

The 36-year-old Murray has won the title twice in Miami and joined Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the only active players with 30 wins at the event. The three-time Grand Slam champion advanced to face No. 29 seed Tomas Etcheverry in the second round.

Naomi Osaka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4 in her return to Miami. The runner-up to Iga Swiatek in her last appearance in 2022 advanced to face No. 15 seed Elina Svitolina in the second round.

Elsewhere on the first full day of the tournament, Sloane Stephens celebrated her 31st birthday by beating Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-3 in a matchup of past U.S. Open women’s champions. Also, Donna Vekic outlasted Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; and Americans Danielle Collins and Shelby Rogers advanced with three-set victories.

Men’s winners included Denis Shapovalov, who beat Luciano Darderi 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4; and Martin Damm Jr., who outlasted China’s Zhang Zhizhen 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3).

The 32 seeded players were given first-round byes. Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, is expected to play her opening match against Paula Badosa on Friday .

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

BU Graduate Students Are Set to Strike over Benefits and Pay

University officials say their offers balance the needs of students with what’s reasonable compared to peer institutions; students prioritize, “a living wage, workload protections, and stronger health care, child care, and family leave benefits.”.

Photo by Above Summit

University officials say their offers balance the needs of students with what’s reasonable compared to peer institutions; students prioritize “a living wage, workload protections, and stronger health care, child care, and family leave benefits.”

The Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU), a collection of more than 3,000 master’s, professional, and PhD graduate students, could strike as soon as next week as negotiations with BU officials, mostly over pay and benefits, have failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. The union voted on March 13 to authorize a strike by March 25 if an agreement is not reached by then.

BU officials say they have negotiated in good faith with the BUGWU bargaining unit, meeting with representatives on 15 occasions, including on Monday, but that they have anticipated a strike remains possible and are finalizing plans to ensure continuity of University operations and academic teaching and learning. Daniel Kleinman , BU’s associate provost for graduate affairs, says his team is working closely with BU’s schools and colleges on contingency plans.

Kenneth Lutchen, BU provost ad interim, sent out letters to the BU community as well as to parents and guardians of students on Tuesday updating them on the strike possibility, and says he has reinforced to the faculty that the graduate students are a critical part of the BU community. And, he says, the University is committed to their success at BU and their impact on the broader society. “We need to treat them with empathy and care while ensuring a contract that is competitive and aligned with peer institutions,” Lutchen says. 

We have a responsibility to continue the education of all of our students, and a disruption to students’ lectures, seminars, discussions sections, and labs is not acceptable. Provost Kenneth Lutchen

Kleinman adds that the University, in its negotiations, must strike a balance between those two competing interests: supporting the needs, concerns, and quality of life for BU graduate students, and at the same time recognizing what the University can reasonably afford and what is reasonable in relation to peer institutions who have entered into similar agreements. 

The students in the BU bargaining unit, which includes teaching assistants and teaching fellows, are paid for up to 20 hours of work per week. As students who are also fulfilling course requirements and doing dissertation research, they spend additional time. All PhD students receive free tuition and health benefits for at least five years on the Charles River Campus, while master’s and professional graduate students pay at least some tuition.

Among the offers that BU officials have put on the table, according to Kleinman, are:

• An increase in the 12-month PhD student stipends to $42,159 next year and an overall increase representing 13 percent over three years. BU has also offered a commitment to raising the minimum hourly rate for students paid hourly (from $15 to $18).
• Moving PhD students currently on eight-month stipends to nine-month stipends, which would mean an increase in year one of the contract to $31,619.
• Covering 33 percent of the cost of MBTA passes for 12 months for all BU PhD students and other graduate students in the union.
• Creating a dental insurance plan for all graduate students, for which they would pay the full premium ($452/year), with PhD students receiving a $100 subsidy.
• For full-time PhD students within the five-year funding guarantee, covering the annual cost of dependents that are added to the University’s student health insurance plan for children six years old and under.
• Adding a Graduate Worker Help Fund of $50,000 to help provide needs-based support during times of unforeseen crisis and emergencies and a no-interest loan to help with other financial exigencies for graduate workers who do not qualify for the fund.

The union is part of SEIU 509, the Massachusetts Union for Human Service Workers and Educators. In a letter SEIU sent to its members, it identified “key issues” in the BU bargaining talks: “A living wage, workload protections, and stronger health care, child care, and family leave benefits.” In the letter, SEIU 509 President David Foley said, “Graduate workers play a vital role in contributing to BU’s success and in shaping the experience of students across campus. Their work as teachers, mentors, and researchers is an invaluable part of what keeps the university running. They are sending a clear message to BU: we are prepared to take action to secure a fair agreement that reflects the value of our work and addresses our needs.”

The union and some graduate students have taken to using social media, most notably Instagram, to voice their frustrations over the negotiations. In her post, Meiya Sparks Lin, a graduate student in the English department, wrote, “They still refuse to pay graduate workers enough to live in the city where we work. It’s clear we’ll have to fight for our demands—but I know that when we fight, we win.” In the letter sent to members of the union, Lin was also quoted: “This isn’t just about fair pay; it’s about ensuring that the workers who keep the university running can lead dignified lives without the constant worry of financial instability.”

Members are not required to participate in a strike, and it is unclear how many will actually take part. The union includes students involved in research, instructional, and teaching work, but it’s believed the strike will initially involve those with teaching responsibilities. (Graduate students who perform other types of paid service work for BU and undergraduate students are not included in the unit.) 

How long a strike could last is unclear. Recent similar strikes at Tufts, Harvard, and the University of California lasted various lengths, from a few days to several weeks. In some cases, graduate students returned to work while negotiations were allowed to continue, but in others, the graduate students waited for a resolution before returning to their positions.

The two sides met most recently on Monday, but still appear far apart on the issue of pay. BU’s latest offer (the figures represent part-time jobs at 20 hours a week) amounted to a 13 percent increase over three years, starting at $42,159 in year one. The Union has declined to make a counteroffer to that proposal, according to BU officials, and has continued its demand for a 20 hours per week stipend starting at $62,440, which is roughly 50 percent more than current BU stipend levels. BU has requested another bargaining session this week, as well, but it’s unclear if the union will agree.

In a letter Tuesday to BU faculty, Lutchen wrote that the University supports the rights of eligible employees to strike. In that event, he said, “We have a responsibility to continue the education of all of our students, and a disruption to students’ lectures, seminars, discussions sections, and labs is not acceptable.” He said his office has offered to help schools and colleges put in place plans to “mitigate any disruption that a strike could cause, and we depend on you to help us ensure the ongoing education of our students, especially our undergraduates.”

Lutchen said BU’s proposals to the union have addressed “the issues that are most important to them—benefits and compensation, and all in the context of what other institutions have settled on.

“We hope that all of this moves us closer to resolution with BUGWU. Once we reach agreement, we can ensure that the implementation process gets underway quickly for the benefit of our graduate workers and the broader University community.”

Unlike the recent public school teachers strike in Newton, which was an illegal strike, Boston University does not have a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in place with BUGWU, meaning there is no limitation on the graduate students’ right to strike. CBAs that are in effect with BU’s other unions (including its salaried lecturers) contain no strike/no lockout provisions, barring those members from striking.

Because BUGWU members are both workers and students, they are considered students first, and therefore are encouraged to continue their academic responsibilities even while participating in the strike. However, the University can withhold their compensation if they strike, and whether any work can be made up after the strike ends will depend on the length of the strike.

How the impact of the strike will be felt inside classrooms is being worked out, according to BU officials. And some of that planning will require solutions for both a short strike and a longer one. For example, if graduate students are not available, faculty will need to create a plan to continue to teach lab or discussion sections or hold office hours.

This Frequently Asked Questions link includes more detailed information on the strike, its impact, and next steps for the University.

Among the offers that BU officials have put on the table, according to Kleinman, are: -An increase in the 12-month PhD student stipends to $42,159 next year and an overall increase representing 13 percent over three years. BU has also offered a commitment to raising the minimum hourly rate for students paid hourly (from $15 to $18). -Moving PhD students currently on eight-month stipends to nine-month stipends, which would mean an increase in year one of the contract to $31,619. -Covering 33 percent of the cost of MBTA passes for 12 months for all BU PhD students and other graduate students in the union. -Creating a dental insurance plan for all graduate students, for which they would pay the full premium ($452/year), with PhD students receiving a $100 subsidy.  -For full-time PhD students within the five-year funding guarantee, covering the annual cost of dependents that are added to the University’s student health insurance plan for children six years old and under. -Adding a Graduate Worker Help Fund of $50,000 to help provide needs-based support during times of unforeseen crisis and emergencies and a no-interest loan to help with other financial exigencies for graduate workers who do not qualify for the fund.

The University has provided schools and colleges with contingency planning documents so they can determine how best to continue their operations and maintain their teaching and research missions. Each department and program will have the flexibility of developing the operational plans that work best for them and their students, but the University is requiring that all classes, teaching, and research continue uninterrupted.

As for international graduate students, nothing prohibits them from participating in a strike, even if they are on F-1 or J-1 visas, according to guidelines from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Their visas are dependent on their enrollment as a student, which is not affected by a strike. “F-1 nonimmigrant status does not require visa holders to cross the picket line,” ICE says. (BU students who are concerned about their visa status should check in with the International Students & Scholars Office.)

Judi Burgess, BU’s executive director of employee and labor relations, says that despite the differences between the two sides, she remains hopeful that “through collaboration and partnership, we can find mutual agreement and understanding.” BU has bargained in good faith throughout the process, she says, and the union could have initiated talks sooner, since its election was held six months earlier.

“There have been numerous sessions over these past several months and the ball has been mostly in the union’s court,” Burgess says. “The University has offered several management proposals and will be offering economic counterproposals during our next bargaining session. This is a massively large union with divergent interests and populations, so the bargaining is complex.”

Adding to the complexity, Burgess says, is that this is the first such contract for this union. “First contracts typically take anywhere from a year or longer to bargain,” she says.

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There are 57 comments on BU Graduate Students Are Set to Strike over Benefits and Pay

This article is incredibly dishonest and presents the situation without any context. I would urge everyone to hear the other side of the story by looking at the union’s website and social media accounts: bugwu.org

The University Management refused to provide even a single substantial proposal until they caught wind that grad workers were moving towards a strike. BUGWU requested to bargain in April 2023 and only received the first compensation offer in February 2024. Moreover, their counter-proposals all but ignored all of what BUGWU originally proposed, instead opting to restate the current BU policy in article formatting. I guess you can call that bargaining in good faith if we are defining it as fulfilling the strict legal requirement of not refusing to meet with the union’s bargaining representatives.

The Management’s compensation offer is nothing but to enforce the status quo. Even after the raise salaried grads at BU are the lowest-paid grad workers in Boston at 31k on a 9-month appointment. Not to mention that most grads on 12-month appointments already make more than 41k per year which is effectively a wage freeze. The management has already announced a 4% cost-of-living adjustment separate from the negotiation process. Effectively they are offering a consistent 3% raise each year over the next 4 years, which is largely outpaced by inflation and rent increases and in effect a pay cut for most grads.

Moreover, the management’s current proposal is especially outrageous if we consider the situation of grad workers on hourly appointments, who often make more than $18/hr already but still struggle to make ends meet due to the limited appointment hours and the lack of categorical tuition remission for these workers. Many of these workers are forced to spend the entirety of their paycheck on tuition and frequently have to take out loans just to avoid homelessness.

The union’s proposal of $62,440 is both the average amount needed to not be rent burdened in BU housing and approximately the current living wage in Boston according to the MIT living wage calculator. It should not be controversial that grad workers should be able to afford to live in the city where we work.

BU’s mission statement claims that “higher education should be accessible to all ” and endeavors to “understand the needs of others and commit to…relieve suffering.” But not making an effort to end rent burden, the management is forcing the University into a position of utter hypocrisy, because international grads, grads with dependents, and grads from low-income backgrounds bear the brunt of this struggle, and this is simply unacceptable. Instead of putting your effort into propaganda pieces as such you should actually try to take the demands of over 3000 grad workers seriously and finally start to bargain in good faith.

For our community allies, I would urge you to communicate your support to grads you know either directly or by donating to our hardship fund here: https://givebutter.com/bugwufund

“The union’s proposal of $62,440…should not be controversial.”

Agreed. But shouldn’t being paid a full-time wage (on top of tuition and benefits) for part-time work be controversial? No wonder the University administration balks.

This is a misleading excerpt from the original comment. The point of what is or is not controversial is whether graduate workers should be able to afford to live in Boston. If this is not something the university can align itself with, then their graduate education is only accessible to those with prior wealth.

Sure that’s controversial, if you know nothing about graduate workers, and you accept without question the University’s lie that we only work 20 hours a week.

Full time lecturers with PhDs at BU earn 65K a year base salary. At some colleges at BU this is the bulk of their teaching faculty. So, grad students are asking to earn the same amt as FT teaching faculty?

Support staff earn around 62K.

Do students know that many of their profs make less than 1 tuition + R&B?

I am a full time staff member who earns $46,500 pre-tax

62k for student workers is absurd

Hi anonymous, I bet your labor is worth more than $46.5K! Sounds like you could benefit from a union as well. This doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game of grads vs staff. :)

We have a union L2324! Aren’t allowed to strike though, so we don’t have the same leverage. Hoping that any progress for grad students gets through to everyone else!

My takeaway from this comment is not that grad workers shouldn’t get $62K but rather that you should be getting paid more as well. Everyone deserves a living wage. Pay your employees, BU!

I think the “absurdity” needs to be re-framed here. I think anyone making $46k working full-time in a city like Boston is absurd.

Grad workers are asking for a reasonable wage based on the living costs that BU sets, plus benefits that many of them desperately need but the university is unwilling to offer.

Hi anonymous, most of the grad workers perform the same type of work as faculty and we are not allowed to take up outside employment during our degree program. The stipend is all we have to survive on during 5 – 7 years in Boston and there is no quitting for better employment opportunities because then you lose your degree progress.

In my opinion, what is absurd here is that almost nobody at BU makes a living wage that could allow them to live in a city where they work and that is a deliberate choice on the management’s part. So I would encourage you to talk to your coworkers to see what you all are willing do to improve your working conditions and us grads will be there with you all the way,

You deserve a living wage also! If you’re also unionized, a sizable salary win for graduate workers will give your union more leverage to raise wages for you too. A rising tide lifts all boats.

Graduate students are often serving as more than just student workers, and the “20 hours” can be a bit misleading. When I worked as an instructor of record this summer, I had to put in far more than 20 hours. I ended up being paid the same amount as my teaching fellow, despite doing twice the amount of work. The University also bars us from working in any outside positions. This is our only paycheck, and we need to be able to afford to live on it.

Have you not heard of student loans? You are getting free tuition and a stipend, the loan can help with living costs, that’s what I had to do.

Would you like to unionize? It is sad to see that you are being paid less than the living wage. It is unfair for you to expect grad workers who are overworked and underpaid to settle for less because you are underpaid.

We are a unionized group. Our union L2324 stands in solidarity with yours within the limitations of our contract. I am hoping that the grad union movement gives us momentum, but we are essentially frozen in place with the current contract (can’t strike, are asked to cross your picket line, etc).

It’s sad for everyone, but know that should there be success for the grad student union, the staff union cannot replicate that success with a strike.

So BU grad workers should remain underpaid because you are? Maybe the problem isn’t grad workers asking for living wages. Maybe the problem is that your employer underpaying you. A full-time staff member who only earns $46K pre-tax, living in Boston? now THATS absurd. You deserve more and so do we!

I mean, this sounds like BU should be paying their teaching faculty more, not that grad students should get less. It also looks like $65k is the starting ask, I’m guessing they expect BU to negotiate them down from that (better to start high and end up with a better number than ask for the bare minimum and get negotiated down from that, no?)

Maybe BU just simply underpays most of its employees? The issue is that BU also pays too little for its postdoc, research scientists, support staffs, and faculty, not that the PhD ask too much.

Does teaching faculty and support staff have unions that can help them negotiate a better deal? As far as I know (and please correct me if I am wrong), there is no union for postdoc and research scientist, so at the end they could unfortunately be the one left behind.

Wow, that adds perspective. Cost-of-living is going up across the board, so I can understand that many other groups must be feeling the squeeze as well. Do you feel like faculty and staff deserve to be paid more than they currently earn for their work? If so, maybe it would be worth having conversations with colleagues about how to collectively ask for a raise.

I’m a full-time staff member (unionized) and I made barely $42,000 (before tax) last year. Our department keeps losing great workers largely due to low pay.

BU needs to increase pay across the board. The low pay to faculty and staff is shameful considering how big our endowment is and how much we can apparently afford to pay execs. We pride ourselves in being leaders among our peers, so why are we fine with trailing behind the pack when it comes to wages?

As the graduate worker quoted in this article, I think it’s important for readers to know that this is inaccurate and biased reporting. The BU today did not reach out to me for comments as they did for the administration and includes only two short quotes from Union sources. Speaking only for myself as a member of the BUGWU bargaining team, I hope the editors will consider reaching out to graduate workers directly for comments and representing the graduate workers’ side equally in the future—many of us would be happy to provide more accurate information.

I encourage readers to read information for themselves and make informed decisions at bugwu.org—we began bargaining so late *only because* the university delayed for months, and we have voted to strike only after exhausting all other options. If the graduate union accepted BU’s current wage offer, I would be taking an 8% pay cut—as I have been every year I’ve worked at BU.

BU has $5.6 billion dollars in net assets. Paying 3000 grad students a few thousand dollars more per year won’t hurt them…

You’d think a lifelong journalist would know that unbiased journalism requires engaging with both sides. Or maybe he only interviewed BU administrators on purpose.

Zoe, thanks for your comment. In fact, I did reach out to the union twice, and several students, and got no replies. I understand that’s their right, certainly. The union president said he would call me back and did not. So instead I quoted from the letter that he sent. But attempts were made. — Doug Most

last year, one of the STEM professors gave a lecture about “do grad students deserve to get paid”? There is a a food bank for grad students in that department because so many of them cant afford food. What a slap in the face

This article has framed the negotiations very differently than they have actually occurred. Many grad students are only paid on 9 month stipends, despite needing to pay rent & eat all 12 months of the year. Let alone the fact that those of us on 12 month stipends are barely paid enough to cover rent (my rent increased by 12% this year- my stipend increased by 3%).

Our contracts specifically prohibit us from accepting outside work or other employment. How do you expect us to survive?

It shouldn’t be controversial for us to earn enough money to live, let alone to contribute to retirement savings while we perform crucial labor for the university in an increasingly precarious job market. The fact that our current proposal is “50% more than current BU stipends” says more about BU’s current stipends than it does about our proposal.

BU has a $3 billion dollar endowment fund. I know 4 grad student colleagues who rely on food banks every week to feed themselves.

Harvard is paying their graduate students 50K, MIT is paying theirs a minimum of 47K, and UChicago just raised their minimum stipends to at least 45K (in a city with a much lower cost of living).

If BU wants to market themselves as a prestigious research institution, they should pay their graduate students accordingly. Nearly all of the research and teaching that happens at BU could not be done without the work of graduate students, it’s time to treat them with the respect and pay they deserve.

“Members are not required to participate in a strike, and it is unclear how many will actually take part.”

Well, they voted by a 90% margin to authorize a strike, so I’d guess a fair number of them will actually take part.

Saying that “the [stipend] figures represent part-time jobs at 20 hours a week” is so disingenuous. This implies that grad workers could reasonably expect to get another part-time job outside of BU to supplement their stipend income, but that is simply not the case. Not only is grad school a full-time commitment, but also many of us are strongly discouraged, or even explicitly forbidden, from taking outside jobs. To quote directly from my offer letter:

“The purpose of fully supporting our graduate students is to allow them to engage wholly in their scholarly work and to devote the attention necessary to complete their studies in a timely fashion. . . . We also expect that you will not be employed outside of Boston University.”

Based on this, I’m not supposed to take any outside jobs, but I shouldn’t need to because my stipend will “fully support” me while I work full-time towards my degree. So I’m supposed to be financially supported full-time but they’re only paying me a part-time stipend? The math isn’t mathing on that one.

I am fortunate enough to have financial support from my family while I pursue my degree, but what happens for people who don’t have any outside support? They’re faced with a choice between trying to survive on a part-time stipend in one of the most expensive cities in the US or going against their contract to get an outside job (on top of their full-time grad school workload). And some grad workers don’t even get to make that choice (e.g., international grads with visa restrictions).

The way this article presents our compensation proposal is trying to spin it to make us look greedy, but we’re not trying to get rich by asking for a living wage; we’re just trying to survive. Do better, BU!

Def support folks looking to better their situation, I’d be interested in what this would look like for the recently announced post-doc minimum of 65k (at 40 hours/wk) or the high number of administrative staff working full time who also make much less than 62k. The rising tide doesn’t lift all boats, so someone is going to be disappointed in the end. Perhaps the L2324 folks should consider driving a harder bargain?

Everybody is looking to better their situation, including all of us who pay tuition to BU. It doesn’t mean that unreasonable pay and benefits are deserved or earned.

I just Googled Which university pays most for PhD? Stanford University Stipends can help easy the journey of many PhD students, and here are the highest paying PhD stipends in the USA: Stanford: At Stanford University, PhD students are at the top, with a whopping $45,850 stipend, the highest PhD stipend, making it a dream for many.Jan 30, 2024.

The article sounds fair to me and like BU is in line with its peers. I agree it is unfortunate how expensive everything is for everyone.

Hi Staffer— Most grad workers are not making anything close to 45k at BU. Many grad workers make 26k/year or 31k/ year. While BU’s offer raises the 12-month minimum to 42k, those of us on 8 or 9 month funding cycles would still be making only ~1-2k more per year (so, 28k for those on 8-month funding). This is less than half of the living wage in Boston! Even if BU was in line with peer institutions, you’re right to point to how expensive everything is—all workers at BU should be paid more. BU rakes in a 150mil+ surplus every year, they can certainly afford it!

Assuming I’m looking at the same article you are, that was the stipend for the 2020/2021 academic year. On Stanford’s website it says the current doctoral pay (salary + any assistantships) is $51,600. Considering that other schools in the Boston area (Harvard and MIT) pay in the ballpark of $50k, BU’s current offer doesn’t even put them in line with others in the area.

I wonder why google missed this: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/12/20/phd-gsas-stipend-increase/#:~:text=December%2020%2C%202023-,Ph .,announced%20in%20an%20email%20Monday. Seems Harvard is at at least 50k and they are in the same COL

This must be out of date information. I am the mentor of a recent BU undergraduate who just got accepted to Brown, and their stipend is 53k.

Hi staffer! This is inaccurate information as MIT and Harvard both have higher base wages. Also, a quick search into Stanfords website shows that their base stipend is higher than your reported number as well!

MIT pays 47k-49k for PhD stipends and up to 55k for some.

https://oge.mit.edu/graduate-admissions/costs-funding/stipend-rates/

This is about 50% more than BU. Is this in line with peers?

First of all, pay your grad workers. Second, this article is riddled with basic inaccuracies about local labor. For example, it appears to reference a Tufts grad strike that literally never happened (source: I was on that bargaining committee, we did not go on strike), misunderstands why the Newton teacher’s strike was illegal (because it’s illegal for public employees to strike in MA, not because they were under a no strike clause), and incorrectly states that BU’s other unions are under a no strike clause (the Part Time Lecturers are operating under an expired contract and not bound by a no strike clause).

Some friendly advice from across the river: stop putting your energy into sloppy PR releases that would get a B- at best from every TA I work with, and start putting your energy towards actually reaching a fair deal with your employees.

This is saddening to read. It makes it sound like a part-time job asking for exorbitant pay. But, as another person posted above, when we entered the program we were promised that our stipend would fully support us so that we could focus solely on our academic work. WE ARE ALSO EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED FROM HOLDING ANY OTHER EMPLOYMENT. BU fully expects us to live off of a stipend that is demonstrably lower than the cost of living in Boston.

Many of us live in the same neighborhoods, buildings, and even individual apartments with grad workers from Harvard or MIT who make a lot more than we do. IF BU WANTS TO CLAIM IT IS A PEER OF HARVARD AND MIT THEN IT NEEDS TO SUPPORT ITS PHD STUDENTS IN COMPARABLE WAYS.

And don’t even think about if you have other circumstances come up… a few years ago I needed extensive dental work that cost over 50% of my stipend. I was lucky and family helped. But as a person in my mid-30s, my family cannot and will not always help me. I’m so glad that a dental insurance plan is part of the bargaining. But that won’t completely cover students who need more than a cleaning a year.

I really wish this article had told the whole story about our situations and quoted some of us, other than one insta post.

Come on man I just want dental insurance and to be able to live near where I work, you’d think BU could afford that.

This whole strike concept is nonsensical. They’re lucky to be making anything while receiving a high quality education. Unfortunately the university is pandering to outrageous demands. More importantly, what is being done to ensure undergraduates continue receiving the education they paid for? Why are the contingency plans, other than telling professors that they’ll need to make plans? The university seems woefully unprepared to be held up by these TAs.

As a staff union member, it has been heartening to see the grad students unionize and stand firm for what they deserve. I know the other BU unions are behind you all the way. Go BUGWU!

Mr. Lutchen’s letter to parents about the looming strike we found cynical and demeaning toward a just cause and it prompted us to donate substantially to the graduate workers union. We had hoped to view indentured servitude as a thing of the past. Doesn’t it trouble the BU admin that it appears to consider past as prologue?

I think this article could benefit from providing more context of the cost of living in Boston, expenses that the average PhD student could be expected to have (rent, groceries, gas, textbooks, parking, family expenses, MBTA pass, etc.). Once you provide that context, you realize that it is absolutely unreasonable to expect graduate students to survive off of these stipends. Those negotiating from the BU administrative side have no idea what it is to live off such low pay in Boston in 2024.

Let’s get another article going examining the “day-in-the-life” of the graduate students who are going to strike, how much time they spend being the backbone of the university, how much money they spend, how much money they are paid, how much care they give to their students, how many late night hours they spend getting all this work done for BU. THEN let’s do the math. Would love a graphic showing a mock budget, salary, taxes, etc.

Awful. Absolutely ridiculous that these students are allowed to strike.

Awful. Absolutely ridiculous that BU can get away with paying its workers starvation wages.

My initial comment from 3/19/2024 for this article was not posted. It is unclear why as I said nothing offensive and demonstrated support for the graduate students. I did criticize the article for being lopsided in its reporting (many other commenters have pointed out the same). I brought up the fact the university presidents and the like are paid six figures, so a pay cut in order for students to be able to afford basic necessities should not be out of the question. I did question whether a strike by faculty and staff in solidarity with striking grad students might be worthwhile. I spoke about MLK’s involvement in the Memphis Sanitation Workers strike. I don’t believe I did anything wrong. As a longtime BU Today reader, I am disappointed that moderators decided to not allow my post to be published, despite being a frequent poster that attempts to keep things cordial.

My primary message remains: An injury to grad students is an injury to the entire university! Raise their pay!

I am one of the many BU professors/faculty who support the graduate student workers and the present efforts of their union. I’d like to address one theme of the university administration’s rhetoric as reported by BU Today above. The administration says that “…if graduate students are not available, faculty will need to create a plan to continue to teach lab or discussion sections…” The administration has also told us that grading of essays and assignment will need to be done by faculty or non-BU workers. BU departments have already been told that the administration would like us to draw up contingency plans and return such plans to the administration, and a number of departments (the number is unknown to me, but I am in one of them) have decided not to comply with this request. I hope the undergraduate students recognize that this is in no way demonstrates a failure on our part to value their continuing education. Undergraduate students and their families actually have a lot of power in this situation to influence the university administration. If faculty were to undermine a strike by BU graduate student workers by making sure that the presence of BU graduate student workers was not required for teaching purposes, this would be effectively undermining the strike (and any non-BU workers employed for this purpose would be crossing a picket line). Of course, every BU faculty member needs to make up their own mind whether to stand with the graduate student workers, or stand against them, but no one should fool themselves: *finding alternative ways to get grading done or have discussion classes taught, etc. necessarily involves pitting oneself against the graduate student union.*

As a supporter of the striking students represented by the Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU), it’s crucial to address the concerns and demands raised by the union. The issues of pay, benefits, workload protections, and overall well-being are fundamental aspects of fair and equitable working conditions, especially for graduate students who play a vital role in the university’s functioning.

Firstly, the argument that students should feel lucky to receive compensation while pursuing a high-quality education overlooks the fact that fair compensation is essential for graduate students to focus on their academic and research responsibilities effectively. The demands for a living wage, workload protections, and stronger healthcare, childcare, and family leave benefits are not only reasonable but necessary for ensuring the dignity and stability of graduate workers.

The offers presented by BU officials, while they may represent some progress, do not fully address the core concerns of the union members. The increase in stipends and other benefits is a step in the right direction, but it falls short of meeting the demands for fair compensation and comprehensive support in an area that, to quote from Apartments.com, “As of March 2024, the average rent in Boston, MA is $3,327 per month. This is 122% higher than the national average rent price of $1,498/month, making Boston one of the most expensive cities in the US. “.

Moreover, the assertion that a disruption to students’ lectures, seminars, discussions, and labs is unacceptable overlooks the fact that such disruptions are often necessary to draw attention to crucial issues and bring about meaningful change. It’s essential to recognize the agency and rights of graduate workers to advocate for their rights and working conditions without facing undue pressure or restrictions.

Supporting the striking students means acknowledging and addressing their legitimate concerns, advocating for fair and equitable treatment, and fostering a collaborative approach to finding mutually beneficial solutions that uphold the values of dignity, respect, and fairness for all members of the university community.

In response to the article about the potential strike of Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU), it’s crucial to recognize the inherent power dynamics and structural inequalities at play. The BUGWU, representing over 3,000 graduate students, is rightfully advocating for fair pay, workload protections, and improved benefits. This is not merely about individual compensation but about addressing systemic issues that impact the well-being and dignity of workers who contribute significantly to the university’s functioning.

The offers presented by BU officials, while seemingly addressing some concerns, fall short of meeting the fundamental needs of graduate workers. The proposals must be evaluated not just in isolation but in comparison to industry standards and the rising cost of living, especially in cities like Boston. The demands for a living wage, workload protections, and stronger benefits are not unreasonable; they are essential for ensuring that workers can lead dignified lives without financial instability.

The solidarity expressed by the union and graduate students through social media platforms like Instagram reflects a collective understanding of the broader socioeconomic context. It’s not just about financial compensation but about creating an environment where workers can thrive both academically and personally. The willingness to take action through a strike demonstrates a commitment to advocating for justice and fairness in labor relations, principles that resonate deeply with social justice movements that I have long championed.

Ultimately, the negotiations should prioritize addressing the core concerns raised by BUGWU in a meaningful and substantive way. This includes acknowledging the value of graduate workers’ contributions, ensuring fair compensation and benefits, and fostering an environment of mutual respect and collaboration. It’s not merely about reaching an agreement but about building a more equitable and inclusive university community where all members can flourish.

In the dialectical dance of power and resistance, the recent developments at Boston University reveal the inherent contradictions of our socio-economic order. The Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU), embodying the aspirations and struggles of over 3,000 graduate students, stands at the crossroads of exploitation and emancipation. The specter of a strike looms large, reflecting the tension between labor and capital, between the demands for dignity and the pressures of profit.

The rhetoric of university officials, with its appeals to empathy and care, masks the underlying power dynamics at play. The discourse of “good faith negotiations” and “reasonable offers” belies the structural inequalities that pervade academia. The commodification of education, where students are simultaneously workers and learners, lays bare the contradictions of a system that values productivity over well-being, profit over solidarity.

The union’s demands for a living wage, workload protections, and enhanced benefits resonate with the broader struggles for social justice and human dignity. Their use of social media as a platform for dissent and solidarity underscores the power of collective action in challenging entrenched hierarchies, and so on. As Meiya Sparks Lin eloquently puts it, “This isn’t just about fair pay; it’s about ensuring that the workers who keep the university running can lead dignified lives without the constant worry of financial instability.”

In this moment of confrontation, we are confronted with fundamental questions about the nature of education, labor, and power. The resolution of this conflict will not only shape the future of graduate workers at Boston University but also reverberate across the landscape of higher education, challenging us to rethink the values and priorities that govern our institutions.

The tone and misrepresentation of facts in this article regarding the ongoing graduate student union negotiations is very disheartening to see. BU admin has done everything in their power to stall any meaningful negotiations over the past several months and have only started to propose counter offers, although still insufficient, since hearing about the plan to strike. As an individual student I have brought in $160k in funding from the National Science Foundation and National Institute of Health, $36K of which I never see and goes directly to BU as an institution. I know dozens of graduate students within my department, and hundred across BU, that have these same awards, totaling to MILLIONS of dollars. As a institution with a multi-BILLION dollar net worth, it is unbelievable that BU leadership is not willing to adequately compensate the labor of graduate students conducting cutting edge research that they profit off of. I would sincerely request that the author of this article include perspective of graduate students in a followup article because this current article is very one sided and entirely biased towards the goals of BU admin.

In full support of a union for grad workers, as everyone should be paid a living wage. Also, if part time grad workers will be paid a living wage, then full time staff need to be as well. Insane to think about the amount of time most staff put into their jobs here at BU, how we often go above and beyond and work outside our 40 hours and many of us are not being paid a livable salary. For example, many full time staff (both hourly union and salaried non-union), including myself, make less than the $62k livable salary. Many of my peers commute well over an hour to work because many cannot afford to live in Boston or the surrounding area. And those of us, like myself, who choose to live in the Greater Boston area struggle through just like our grad students. If part time work will be compensated at a higher rate than full time work, the University should seriously consider their pay grades.

This is exactly why BU doesn’t want to pay BUGWU living wages… because it means they will actually have to start paying all of their employees living wages. We all need to fight for what we deserve! Solidarity!

Pure propaganda masquerading as journalism. BU admin must negotiate in good faith rather than spreading misinformation.

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