The school could always just fire them. There’s no shortage of grad students in America.

Oregon Live reported.

Strike continues as finals begin at University of Oregon

Graduate teaching fellows remain on strike today, as finals weeks begins University of Oregon in Eugene.

The 1,500 teaching assistants represented by the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation play a large role in conducting and grading final exams, but the university promises to close out the term by extending the grading deadline to Dec. 19, giving exams with short answers rather than essays, assigning extra duties and pay to faculty members, and proctoring exams with volunteers and paid non-union graduate students and undergrads.

Some students will also be given the option of taking the grade they had earned by Dec. 1, the day before the strike started, and skipping the final.

“Final exams will be held and graded, and grades will be entered,” said a statement from interim President Scott Coltrane. “And we will all look forward toward winter term.”

Graduate teaching fellows went on strike Tuesday after contract talks stalled over medical and maternity leave benefits. It is the first GTFF strike in the 38 years the union has been on campus. A state mediator held sessions with representatives of the union and university on Thursday and Friday but was unable to reach an agreement. Another mediation session is scheduled for Tuesday.