Image courtesy of @skidmorestudentworkers on Instagram
Unionization has been crucial to the well-being of Skidmore College employees and students over the years. The U.S Department of Labor defines a union as “a group of two or more employees who join together to advance common interests such as wages, benefits, schedules and other employment terms and conditions.” In the past year, Skidmore non-tenure faculty have struggled to get their voices heard by the administration in their call for equitable pay and transparency in job positions. Now, students are calling for similar change. On March 25, Skidmore Student Workers sent out a petition created by Residential Assistants (RAs) and Community Assistants (CAs) asking for signatures in support of unionization efforts. The petition quickly reached 300 signatures and is still growing and signable today. Encouraged by the support from the community, Skidmore Residential Assistants held a “Rally for Respect” on April 14 where students came together to demand neutrality and a fair vote for the spring election.
In the past, RAs and CAs have received free housing for their work, but no other compensation from the College. RAs are held to the responsibility of walking rounds, checking dorms, creating a safe environment, and serving as a bridge between Residential Life and students. There have been RAs known for handling multiple floors by themselves due to lack of staffing, being ghosted by residential life supervisors, and flat out ignored when faced with issues involving race and gender. I interviewed two RAs who shared their experiences on how powerful and draining the process has been. Francie Wharton ’25, RA and Organizing Committee member gave a statement on the action within the past month: “This union really gives power to us as student workers. I really do love my job as an RA and I care deeply for the residents on my floor, but right now I feel unsupported by Student Affairs. And, I know that things can be better. In preparing for this election, I have been thinking a lot about how this year would have played out differently if we could have negotiated our compensation and our terms of employment. I know that with this union we will have a chance to do just that, which will make our experiences as RAs and CAs much better.”
Zia Foxhall, Organizing Committee member, also commented on the progress of the efforts: “I am thrilled by all the support we’ve received from the Skidmore Community throughout this unionization effort. Coming into this year, I didn’t think much about the fact that we weren’t being compensated given the room credit. But over the summer my scholarship was reduced the same amount as the room credit, so I was doing an immense amount of labor for no pay. It is absurd to me that the school can rely so heavily on its RAs and CAs and then not give them compensation comparable to the work we do. The school has also put out a lot of anti-union coded messaging including sentiments that imply the union is a third party that will be making decisions on behalf of the RAs and CAs. This is wrong and misleading information to spread. Currently, RAs and CAs have no say in the decisions being made for us. A union gives us a seat at the bargaining table where we get to consult with each other, and make choices as a collective. At this point we just need the RAs and CAs to show up and vote yes on May 9. I have total faith that we have the momentum to win this election. But this energy doesn’t stop with the RAs and CAs. This effort sets the precedent for student unionization all across campus. We hope to be able to educate more students on what unions actually do and get the school to really listen to us. Minimum wage in New York State is $14.20, we should not be paid $12.75, effectively exploiting us for our labor, just because we are students.”
As of April 25, it was confirmed with the Skidmore Community that the union won the spring election. While this seems like great news, winning only clarifies the right to vote, so it is crucial that the community come out and support them. On Tuesday, May 9 from 12-2 P.M. and 3-7 P.M. at Wyckoff Center voting will take place where RAs and CAs will cast their vote. It is crucial that the Skidmore community show up to support fellow students, as the administration comes from a deep political view rooted in capital funds. The biggest support for fellow RA’ and CA’ at this time is the genuine care and action of other students.
Update: As of May 10, it was announced by Adrian Bautista, Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs, that “the RAs and CAs voted in favor of being represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).” The Union won with a unanimous vote of 37 to 0 in favor of being represented by the SEIU. The next steps will include the Skidmore administration bargaining with SEIU towards “mutually agreeable terms” regarding fair pay and equitable treatment for student workers.