Members of the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, the Service Employees International Union and others united in front of PLC across from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art to protest labor issues for GTFs on Thursday.

The protestors turned heads as they marched east down E. 13th Avenue and onto the steps of Johnson Hall to get the administration’s attention.

The protestors’ main goals include securing increased wages, parental and medical leave, and better healthcare coverage for GTFs.

Currently, GTFs working at full hours make about $1200 a month, Matthew Hannah, GTFF’s Vice President of Organizing said. For some GTFs, this is not sufficient to cover living expenses and means that some need to take out loans. Hannah said GTFs teach one in three classes on average, and that their counterparts at Oregon State University make more.

Hannah said the GTFF union, one of at least four labor unions on campus, has been investigating the issues since September and approaching the UO administration with proposals since November.

The group chanted, “This is what democracy looks like,” among other things.

“You can see, a lot of people care about labor on campus, so that’s exciting,” Hannah said. “When you treat us badly, people have got to know about it.”

There are two bargaining sessions scheduled between the GTF union and administration this week, according to UO spokeswoman Julie Brown.

“We are hopeful that we can come to an agreement that will be in the best interest of everyone,” Brown said.

The purpose of the rally, which was in part to honor International Worker’s Day, was ”to demonstrate strength and our willingness to come out in numbers,” Brianna Bertoglio, a member of the GTF union, said. “No one wants to go on strike and we’re doing everything we can to prevent that.”