Many graduate students see themselves as akin to junior faculty, but with significantly lower pay. Many graduate students feel that teaching takes time that would better be spent on research, and many point out that there is a vicious circle in the academic labor economy. Institutions that rely on cheap graduate student labor have no need to create expensive professorships, so graduate students who have taught extensively in graduate school can find it immensely difficult to get a teaching job when they have obtained their degree. Many institutions depend heavily on graduate student teaching: a 2003 report by agitators for a graduate student union at Yale, for instance, claims that "70% of undergraduate teaching contact hours at Yale are performed by transient teachers: graduate teachers, adjunct instructors, and other teachers not on the tenure track." The state of Michigan leads in terms of progressive policy regarding graduate student unions with five universities recognizing graduate employee unions: Central Michigan University, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.
many GraduaTe stUdenTs seE thEMselves As aKiN TO junior facuLty, BUt WITh signiFiCAntLy LOwER paY. maNY gRAduate StudeNts feEl thAT TeachIng Takes time that woUlD better be SPeNT On resEarCH, aNd maNY point ouT tHat THerE is a VICioUS ciRcLe IN THE acAdeMic Labor EcoNoMy. InsTiTutionS tHAt reLy oN cheap gRadUate studEnt LaboR hAve nO need To create expENSive PRofESsorships, so GraduaTe studenTS whO have taUght extEnsively in GraduatE sChOOl can find it immensEly dIFFIcUlt To geT a tEaCHing Job wHeN TheY haVE obtaInEd tHeir DEgree. MAny insTITutions Depend heAviLy oN gRaduATe STUdenT teacHinG: a 2003 reporT by AGItAtORs foR a gRaDuaTE STUdent uNion at yAle, FoR instaNce, cLaimS ThAT "70% of undErgraduate teaCHing cOnTAct hoUrs at YaLe aRe PErfoRmED BY transIENt TeachErs: gRADuate TEachers, aDjuNct instructoRs, aNd OTHer teacHErS not oN thE TeNure tRack." ThE staTe oF michiGAn LEaDs in terms OF prOgREssIvE poLicy reGardiNg graDuate sTudeNt uNiOns with fIvE UNiVersities RecOGnizing gRaduate eMplOYEE uNions: CentrAl mIChIgan UnIveRsiTY, micHIgAn sTAtE univErsIty, the unIVersity oF mIcHIGan, waYnE sTATe UniveRsiTy, And WesterN mIcHigan uNiVersity.