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An SEIU union at SU will lead to higher pay, increased respect for workers

My name is Adema King. Currently, I work for Food Services and hold the position of Secretary for our SEIU Local 200United.

For our upcoming contact we will fight for better pay, health insurance, job security and job safety. However, for us to win big we have to come together and stand in solidarity.

To my students who are trying to form a union, please know this: a union will mean higher pay with the dignity and respect which you want and deserve.
This administration knows we are underpaid, unappreciated, overworked and are understaffed at our respective work units. It is time that this administration does right by raising our wages and recognizing those employees who are trying to form a union because we are the backbone of Syracuse University.

‘CUSE stands for community, unity, services and excellence. We are a community. We are united. We provide services and we strive for excellence. However, excellence can’t be achieved without community, unity and services. You can’t spell ‘CUSE without US.

With that said, I ask you all to stand up, speak up, show up and fight along with us! Stronger Together!

Adema King

Salaries of SU staff in academic units are not reflective of the work they put in

When I was hired at the university 20 years ago, I was told that I needed to take tuition benefits into consideration with my meager university salary because the majority of women working at the university were only here for that benefit and extra money. We didn’t need a good salary, they said, because our husbands were supposed to be the main source of our incomes. At the time, I was a single mother of four sons, trying to put food on the table, and not worrying if 10 to 15 years down the road they would even go to college.

Despite major changes in society 20 years later, SU staff in academic units – approximately 72% of whom are women – are still facing the same issues. Just three years ago, we were filling a position in our office for an office coordinator, but the job was only for 30 hours a week at a low pay rate, far less than it would take to survive as a single person in Syracuse. When I asked how the university thought we would get quality candidates for a position like that, I was once again told by upper management that women looking for some extra money and the tuition benefits while their kids are in school would love a job like that.

To view a potential employee as not someone who is looking for a career, but only as a way to support their family and provide health benefits, not tuition benefits, shows how we are still treated as workers at SU and, specifically, as women workers at SU. I would have hoped in the 20 years I have been at the university this kind of sexism and unfairness would have been erased. We are an institution of higher learning, teaching tomorrow’s leaders, both men and women.

As administrative staff at Syracuse University, we have decided to come together and form a union to address these issues for women and men workers. In recent years, the administration committed to not taking a position against graduate student TAs and RAs and now student food service and library workers who decided to come together to form a union. Moreover, the administration actively corrected managers who went against this commitment, ensuring an environment where the employees could organize free of intimidation or a campaign of misinformation. We have called on the administration to sign an agreement to ensure they treat us with the same respect and dignity they have treated other workers – and to hold all managers accountable if they go against the values of our institution. The biggest difference we can see between us and the other organized workers is that administrative and professional staff are a super-majority of women. We think this is a moment for SU to turn a new leaf and address the issues of unfairness along the lines of class, race and gender at SU. There is a growing majority of administrative staff who have signed union cards and are committed to doing what it takes to win a voice here. It’s time for SU to do the right thing and trust us, as women employees, when we tell them what we want. We want a union and we want the same respect other workers on campus receive. We are calling on the upper administration to listen. We do not believe treating us differently would be living up to the values of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), values that the university has publicly committed to.

Margaret Butler
Administrative Specialist
Department of English
Syracuse University

Staff members in academic units at SU call for unionization

We, the staff in academic units at Syracuse University, are coming together to form a union.

Alas, we know that whenever workers seek to empower themselves, there is pushback. Retaliation is illegal, but union efforts are consistently met with a variety of half-truths and deceptions. In order that the staff members be accurately informed, examples of such misleading points are included below, along with the actual facts.

“If you unionize, you will have to pay extensive dues and initiation fees.”

We will have to pay dues as union members as they are essential to allowing us to have a strong worker organization with lawyers, offices, printing and union staff who support us. However, there are no initiation fees to join SEIU. Dues, meanwhile, are proportional to compensation and kept at a rate of just 1.5% to 2.0%. Furthermore, we won’t have to pay them until a union contract has been negotiated and voted on by us, the staff members. So, are we going to accept a contract that offers a compensation increase less than our percentage of dues? Of course not! This is in marked contrast to our present situation where the annual raising of both parking and benefit costs is often much greater than any yearly increase in compensation, and there is nothing we can do about it.

“If you unionize, you will have to go on strike.”

Striking is just one of the many tools that organized workers employ to secure a fair deal. It is an action taken only when of the utmost necessity, and is never decided upon unilaterally. In fact, an affirmative vote from two-thirds of union members is required for such a measure. In other words, our union will be democratic: all members will have a vote, including on whether or not to strike.

“If you unionize, you will lose power and influence over your working conditions.”

This is patently false. The whole point of coming together as a union of workers is to increase our power and influence via our strength in numbers. Under the existing approach of parlaying on an individual basis, it is far too easy to disregard us. However, this will be anything but the case when we negotiate together as a union. Suffice to say, it is a lot more difficult to discount hundreds of staff members! And, to reiterate a previous point, our union will be democratic. We will have a vote on our representatives, on our collective bargaining agreement and on all other important issues. Can we say the same as matters currently stand? Do we actually have any type of voice at all about the matters that affect us as employees?

“If you unionize, your working conditions may get worse.”

As previously stated, we will have a direct voice in our collective bargaining agreement in our union. In other words, we never have to accept a contract that offers less than before: after all, we can vote against it. Furthermore, it has been proven again and again that forming a union results in better working conditions. For example, staff members at the University of Vermont secured raises up to 37% and a minimum hire rate of $20 per hour, along with improvements to their work hours and fully-covered health insurance. And, right here at Syracuse University, the graduate TAs and RAs just won up to 36% raises in pay and major improvements to their benefits in their first union contract. Furthermore, they did not move backwards on a single issue, nor lose any pre-existing benefits.

“Labor relations at Syracuse University are best kept ‘in-house’ and ‘in the family.’”

Our union will keep matters “in-house” and “in the family.” We, as Syracuse University staff members, have initiated and carried out every step of this organization effort. As a group, we have overwhelmingly supported the campaign to form our union with a majority already having signed union cards and made the commitment to vote “yes.” And we will serve as our own union representatives once we win. Our SEIU organizers support us in an advisory role, but we make the decisions. We are the union.

“Syracuse University cannot afford to make improvements for the staff members, especially right after the graduate TAs and RAs won their raises.”

There is good evidence that this is just not true. With a current endowment of almost $2 billion, the real question here is not of affordability, but of priority. In other words, are the staff members valued enough for funds to be prioritized to treat them well? Just one example: let’s consider how much property Syracuse University has purchased in the surrounding neighborhoods the past few years. With millions to spend on real estate and new projects, shouldn’t it also be possible to decently compensate the very people that keep things running? Furthermore, the graduate TAs and RAs are our colleagues, and they deserve to be valued and respected just as much as we do. This certainly can be done; the choice just has to be made to do so. All of our unions together can ensure that it happens.

Finally, let us take a step back to examine the possible motivation behind spreading these misleading messages. Though it may be claimed that it is done out of concern for the well-being of the staff members, is that true? After all, power is never shared without a fight. But we, the staff in academic units, deserve to have a say. This place would not function without us, and it is time that such is explicitly acknowledged via the mediums of respectable compensation, decent benefits and genuine respect.

Jenn Yoshioka, Administrative Specialist, Public Communications
Molly Cavanaugh, Office Coordinator, Economics
Al Newberry, Equipment Cage & Amp, Production Studios Manager, Film and Media Arts
Nick Piato, Audio Lab Program Coordinator, HEOP
Patricia Ford, Budget Manager, Physics
Erin Beiter, Senior Lab Animal Technician, Research Integrity and Protections
Staff Members in Academic Units
Syracuse University

Syverud, Ritter should support workers unionization efforts to address hardships

Dear Chancellor Syverud and Provost Ritter,

In some ways, I am loath to write this letter as I’m ignorant of how running a university works. It can’t be easy. I also know you both as kind human beings, and your support of our creative writing program has made it possible for our students to excel here.

Yet my late daddy was a labor organizer who put his body on the line in the 1950s to help working people secure benefits that in some ways saved my own family economically. During strikes when I was small, we often ate what union members shared from their gardens and what could be shot in the woods.

Also, for some years when my son was a baby, I worked as an underpaid adjunct professor, teaching five sections of composition at two universities for aggregate fees smaller than what Harvard College paid me for a single poetry class.

So when I was contacted by workers I know are personally devoted to our students, and those workers asked whether I could support their efforts in forming a union by writing this letter, I had to say yes. And I urge you, from the compassion I know you both have, to say yes with me.

Not many years ago, a devoted staff member reached out to faculty for financial help, and I also know hard-working people on staff at Syracuse University University taking second jobs to put food on family tables. So I write to urge you to support their efforts to form a union and address their hardships.

I write with gratitude for their service to our students and for how both of you show your care for said students every day as well. Thanks for considering.

With hope and deep respect,

Mary Karr
Peck Professor of Literature, Trustee Professor

After successful unionization efforts, SGEU calls for similar recognition for staff workers

To Chancellor Syverud and the Syracuse University administration,

The members of Syracuse Graduate Employees United understand that we are not the only groups on campus that have had to deal with precarious working conditions, lack of support and protections and sub-standard pay. Our colleagues who feed us, run our libraries and make our departments run should not have to work in these kinds of conditions and we believe that all workers on campus should thrive as members of this community.

SGEU is a union of over 1,100 graduate student workers who perform various kinds of labor at Syracuse University. We conduct research, teach undergraduate students, support campus initiatives and perform other essential jobs to make this a prestigious university. As workers on campus, we believe that SU works because we do.

This is why we, the members of SGEU, proudly support the unionization campaigns of the clerical staff, student library workers and student food service workers at Syracuse University. It was only a year ago when we were in the same position as the clerical and food service worker campaigns are in. We believe unionization will increase accountability in university labor relations and improve the labor conditions for all workers on campus, benefitting the university community and the larger central New York community.

SGEU recognizes all the work that the clerical staff, hourly food service workers and hourly librarians do to maintain the status of the university. We call for Syracuse University to voluntarily recognize these campaigns and their right to unionize and fight for better wages and working conditions. Now is a time for recognition and respect for the basic requirements for dignity and decency at Syracuse University for all workers.

Syracuse Graduate Employees United

Student food service workers call for better wages, more respect

Today, I stand before you not just as a graduate hourly student worker but as a voice for all of us who have tirelessly worked in the dining halls. We are a crucial part of this institution, ensuring every student, staff and visitor receives the nourishment they need with a smile, regardless of our own circumstances.

However, it’s high time our voices are heard, our work is respected and our rights are protected. We are gathered here to initiate a change — a change that is overdue. A change that recognizes our dedication and addresses our struggles.

First, we demand better wages. Despite the essential services we provide, many of us struggle to make ends meet. Our wages do not reflect the cost of living, nor do they equate to the skill and effort we bring to our roles. It’s not just a matter of fairness, it’s a matter of survival.

Second, we seek improvements in our working conditions. Our environment should be safe, healthy and conducive to productivity, not just a checkbox for compliance. We’ve faced challenges that have been overlooked for too long, from inadequate equipment to insufficient breaks. It’s time our workplace becomes a space where dignity and safety are not just promised but practiced.

Moreover, we call for respect — a fundamental human right. Our roles should not define our worth. The lack of acknowledgment and appreciation undermines our contributions and erodes our morale. We deserve to be treated with dignity, to have our voices heard and our concerns addressed with sincerity and urgency.

Additionally, we advocate for better implementation and enforcement of rules. Policies and procedures are in place but their inconsistent application and, at times, complete disregard leave us vulnerable and undervalued. We need a transparent system that ensures fairness and accountability.

Lastly, we demand transparency in job listings and openings. Opportunities for advancement and development should be accessible to all, not hidden or reserved for a select few. We seek a clear, fair and equitable process for all current and prospective employees.

Unionization is not just about addressing these issues. It’s about building a community where we support one another, where every worker’s contribution is recognized and where we all have the opportunity to thrive. It’s about creating a workplace that reflects the values we stand for as an institution.

We are not just asking for changes; we are demanding what is rightfully ours. It’s time we stand together, united in our cause, for better wages, improved working conditions, respect, fairness and transparency. Let’s make our voices heard, let’s make our work respected and let’s make our rights protected.

Regards,
Nawazish Shaik

SU’s ‘small-campus feel’ is a reflection of its staffers. They should be valued more.

Dear Chancellor Syverud and Provost Ritter,

Hello, and a happy spring to both of you.

I’m just writing to express my heartfelt support for the workers of Syracuse University as they move to unionize. Again and again, in my travels, I hear this about our university: that we are a big, wonderful university that feels like a small, wonderful university. When a student finds himself or herself in need of advice or direction, or is confused and floundering in any way, he or she can always find help from staff. I once heard this described as a “two-degree of separation” advantage that Syracuse has over other universities; if the staff member helping a student solve a problem doesn’t know the answer, he or she will know (and reach out to) someone who does. This makes for a beautiful small-campus feeling that few other schools can offer. Problems get solved quicker this way, with a personal touch, and the student thus feels more valued and feels the university itself as a sort of congenial, extended family. This can, I believe, be traced directly back to the positive attitude and true “school spirit” of our staff – they believe in, love and support their university and I think it is
imperative that their university also believe in, love and support these invaluable workers.

Warmly,
George Saunders
Writer and proud member of the Creative Writing Program and English department

Adjuncts United call for neutrality for workers looking to unionize at SU

Administrators,

Through my representation of Adjuncts United unit members over the past years I have been privileged to have many frank and encouraging conversations with many campus leaders about labor, equity and respect for campus employees. I write today to convey appreciation for those individual conversations. And to ask for your collective voice in remaining supportive of neutrality regarding labor organizing on campus.

Thinking back to 2005 and 2006, when Adjuncts United began organizing, I experienced the university climate as relatively quiet about neutrality. In fact, push back and denial of organizing rights from some academic units created a stressful time for many folks, ultimately contributing to me losing my teaching position for the spring 2006 semester. Navigating that has informed my efforts to protect labor rights over these 18 years. While I would hate for job loss to happen to another employee as they exercise their rights in 2024, I must trust it will not. And I applaud university leadership for voicing neutrality regarding the recent graduate student organizing, marching for recognition, negotiating and ratifying their agreement.

On behalf of Adjuncts United bargaining unit members (420+ faculty in spring ‘24), I want to highlight the critical work of the university office and support staff. Teaching, especially contingent teaching, would be much more difficult in this large institution without the readily offered expertise of office admins, lab assistants, tech staff, maintenance folks and others. I have heard repeatedly that administrative staff across campus often work to onboard new contingent faculty, especially those hired just before the semester. These individuals keep the university running, yet in my University Senate role as co-chair of the Women’s Concerns Committee, I have listened while female staff members share their experiences navigating the vulnerabilities of low pay, unreasonable job expectations and lack of recognition.

I encourage you to extend neutrality to all employees working toward collective representation at Syracuse University.

Sincerely,
Laurel Morton, Adjuncts United President, and Part Time Design Instructor, VPA

All SU students deserve to have basic needs met, secured. Fair working conditions are part of this.

To the Campus Community,

We, undergraduate student members of the Youth Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) chapter and the Undergraduate Labor Organization (ULO) at Syracuse University, stand with the student library and food service workers in their effort to unionize.

As their classmates, friends, roommates and peers, we have seen firsthand the challenges student workers face trying to juggle campus jobs with their studies, clubs, sports, socializing and so much more. Late night shifts make this juggling act incredibly difficult. Low wages make this juggling act incredibly difficult. Limited sick leave makes this juggling act incredibly difficult!

Without a voice in the workplace, student workers are unable to collectively bargain to change these injustices and we wholeheartedly support their right to do so. Student workers are struggling to pay their bills as Syracuse has experienced some of the most dramatic rent hikes in the country. Additionally, food services workers, who are overwhelmingly international students, have expressed that many are dealing with disrespect, bias and unfair treatment in their workplace with no way to address these issues when they arise.

Student Library and Food Service workers have come together to demand a voice through unionizing, a path that will allow them to exercise collective, democratic power to make decisions about their working and learning conditions. We, members of ULO, YDSA and the undergraduate community, had the opportunity to support the Syracuse Graduate Student Employees in their organizing effort last year and have seen the ways they have massively improved their working conditions through the establishment of their union. Now, one year later, we wholeheartedly support student library and food service workers in their decision to fight for their right to unionize and improve their workplaces, too.

All students at Syracuse University deserve to be well-rested, well-fed and securely housed. All students deserve to make the most of their education, whether they work campus jobs or not.We stand behind our working peers in their effort to unionize, and we ask that SU administration does the right thing by not engaging in union-busting tactics.

Forever in Solidarity,

Undergraduate Labor Organization, Youth Democratic Socialists of America
Alana Coffman (ULO), Jake Snelling (YDSA)

SGEU unionization success reflects need for a food service, library workers union

To whom it may concern:

I am writing in support of the Syracuse University student food service and library union campaign. I have signed the faculty letter of support.

I have heard directly from students who work in food service, specifically about how they feel that working conditions are inadequate and also do not support good academic outcomes for them and how they feel that their voices are not heard. I have heard from international students, with uncertainty in their voices, saying that they are not even sure what is possible to ask about or understand in terms of working conditions.

Separate, but related, the graduate student union effort clearly has improved things for graduate students. I heard just last week of a substantive raise for graduate assistants and can only guess that this was the result of union negotiations. This seems only fair. Their pre-raise compensation sounded about the same as what I heard about 10 to 15 years ago at some other universities. It is not to anyone’s benefit for students to be stressed by working conditions and inadequate compensation.

Let’s welcome a collective voice for food service and library workers as well. It’s really good for all of us.

Sincerely,

Ian M. Shapiro, PE
Professor of Practice

Published on April 18, 2024 at 2:36 am