GESO members also complain that TAs have no jobsecurity and must pay for their own health care.

But Weinbaum said the strike's purpose isrecognition as a union, not material grievances.

"It was not about us wanting more money, healthcare or benefits," she said. "We went on strike toshow a majority of graduate students feelcompletely excluded."

"The fact is that there was an 80 percent voteamong graduate students to be recognized as aunion," Weinbaum added. "In a university thattalks about democracy and freedom of associationand Lux et Veritas, they're the ones whohave to defend why they won't recognize a group intheir own community."

The strike of around 370 TAs appears to havedisrupted some classes at Yale. The administrationhas not yet decided what action, if any, will betaken against TAs who miss their classes,Associate Vice President for Administration PeterD. Vallone said Sunday.

GESO, which also held a teach-in yesterdayafternoon, plans to conclude its strike today.

The group has formulated a petition demandingthat Yale recognize it as a union. The petition'ssignatories so far comprise 400 faculty, includingseveral from Harvard. Professor of Afro-AmericanStudies Cornel R. West '74, Warren Professor ofAmerican Legal History Morton J. Horwitz,Professor of Law Duncan M. Kennedy and Professorof Law Roberto M. Unger are signatories, accordingto GESO.

Weinberg said she is not optimistic that Yalewill offer concessions any time soon.

"We're not expecting the administration to givein tomorrow or next week or anytime soon," shesaid. "But we're hoping when the immediate crisispasses in a little while, they'll be able to starttalking to us."

But she warned: "We're headed toward a muchmore serious conflict that has the potential todisrupt the entire community." She said a futurestrike might involve Locals 34 and 35, which wouldseriously disrupt the university's functioning