The University of Michigan’s Graduate Employees Organization will have a one-day walk-out today, as members voted in favor of the action 462-106 last week.

Organization members will form picket lines around major buildings and high traffic areas on the Ann Arbor campus. The organization, which represents 1,600 graduate student instructors and staff assistants, has been negotiating with U-M since October 2001.

Cedric DeLeon, president of U-M’s graduate organization, said if contract negotiations are not closer to settling by March 17, the organization will vote whether to strike indefinitely. U-M’s organization’s last strike was in March 1999.

A few Lansing-based groups are supporting a one-day undergraduate student strike today, in support of MSU’s Graduate Employees Union. MSU’s union did not formally support the strike.

Jessica Goodkind, MSU’s union president, said she will be in Ann Arbor today to help picket. She said MSU’s graduate union has not ruled out any options - including any future strikes.

“It really comes down to the administrations - whether they’re willing to do the right thing,” she said.