The role of resident assistants in college dorms is undergoing change as students at various universities are organizing unions to advocate for better compensation and working conditions. The movement reflects a broader shift in campus culture and growing student receptivity to organized labor. Various universities are undergoing contract negotiations to address the concerns of resident assistants.
The newest union members are undergrads. Sam Betsko, a resident assistant at Boston University, realized the demands of her role went beyond helping locked-out students and dealing with noisy sophomores. She discovered that resident assistants had been inequitably assigned more work without extra compensation. This led her to advocate for a union, and in March, they voted overwhelmingly to have one. Contract negotiations began following similar votes at Swarthmore College and Smith College. Resident assistants are part of a wave of unionization by undergraduates across the country. This movement highlights a shift in campus culture, as students question the value of a college education and seek fair wages and workplace protections for their campus jobs. According to a Gallup poll, young people today are more supportive of unions than in the past. As students organize and mobilize, they are gaining support from major labor unions, surprising longtime observers, and making sophisticated use of labor laws and procedures. Universities, however, have pushed back against these efforts, claiming to already provide generous benefits to student workers. They question the need for unions for resident assistants and downplay their contributions. Despite the challenges, students are determined to secure fair treatment and compensation for their labor. The surge in unionization efforts among undergraduates reflects a broader trend in the labor movement, with students demanding better working conditions and rights similar to their counterparts in the workforce. As the movement gains momentum, the future of campus jobs and labor relations is evolving. Adblock test (Why?)
The newest union members are undergrads. Sam Betsko, a resident assistant at Boston University, realized the demands of her role went beyond helping locked-out students and dealing with noisy sophomores. She discovered that resident assistants had been inequitably assigned more work without extra compensation. This led her to advocate for a union, and in March, they voted overwhelmingly to have one. Contract negotiations began following similar votes at Swarthmore College and Smith College. Resident assistants are part of a wave of unionization by undergraduates across the country. This movement highlights a shift in campus culture, as students question the value of a college education and seek fair wages and workplace protections for their campus jobs. According to a Gallup poll, young people today are more supportive of unions than in the past. As students organize and mobilize, they are gaining support from major labor unions, surprising longtime observers, and making sophisticated use of labor laws and procedures. Universities, however, have pushed back against these efforts, claiming to already provide generous benefits to student workers. They question the need for unions for resident assistants and downplay their contributions. Despite the challenges, students are determined to secure fair treatment and compensation for their labor. The surge in unionization efforts among undergraduates reflects a broader trend in the labor movement, with students demanding better working conditions and rights similar to their counterparts in the workforce. As the movement gains momentum, the future of campus jobs and labor relations is evolving. Adblock test (Why?)