97% voted YES: We’re Ready to Strike

The votes are in – 97% voted to authorize a strike.

Our union will be submitting notice to the universities informing them that our strike begins on September 28 unless management starts bringing fair offers to the table.

For months, university administration has dragged out bargaining while offering COLAs that fall far behind the cost of living. They continue to propose takeaways to health insurance, eliminating our rights during layoffs, and getting rid of contracting out protections.

In our bargaining survey, more than half of us said they worry about running out of money before our next paycheck; 28% of us are going into debt just to cover rent and groceries; and nearly one in four of us worries we won’t have enough food to make it to payday. Meanwhile, the seven university presidents are being compensated nearly $600,000 per year on average.

We are the workers who keep our universities running. We support students. We prepare food. We maintain buildings and technology. We keep campuses clean and safe.

And we deserve a contract that allows us to support ourselves and our families. We deserve to live in dignity.

Our goal is to reach a fair agreement at the bargaining table, but unless management makes real movement, we are prepared to strike as soon as Monday, September 28.

In unity,

Your SEIU 503 Higher Education Bargaining Team

Between now and September 28, we must stay informed, stay connected and stay united:

• Watch for updates from our union, including information on strike pay and ways to sign up for picket shifts. You can always find the most up-to-date information here.
• Make sure our union has your personal contact information on file so you can be sure to get needed information as it becomes available. During a strike you could lose access to your work email, so it’s important we can reach you at your personal email address. Use this form to update your information.