Almost all other workers at PSU have a union, which means they’ve been able to bargain for things like being paid even during campus closures, a 5% wage increase for all bilingual teachers, no longer being at-will employees, and even fighting for social justice on campus.

Student jobs are real jobs and deserve higher pay and more respect. Student workers deserve a voice on the job, being able to stand up for themselves without fear of retaliation, a faster avenue for enforcing workplace rights (enforcing a contract is often faster than settling a BOLI claim), annual wage and cost of living increases, and more. Unions are also a powerhouse for enforcing and expanding civil rights and protections.

Is the university organizing this?

No, this is by and for student workers. We are planning to become recognized as a sublocal of SEIU Local 503, so that will be our parent union. But we will have our own sublocal, or chapter, to run ourselves with our own contract and bargaining priorities. The university is not involved. See your rights while organizing a union: Your Rights during Union Organizing | National Labor Relations Board

Will anyone know if I sign in support?

No. Your signature is confidential. When we have enough signatures, they will be submitted to the Employee Relations Board, a government agency. This agency will reach out to Portland State for a list of all student workers, then compare the two lists. Your signature will not be shared with PSU administration.

How many other undergrad student worker unions are there?

More all the time! Between 2022 and 2024, 17 undergraduate student unions formed across the US according to the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions (National Center Events and Publications — Hunter College), and more unions are in the process of forming! After the union is recognized, the next step is bargaining for a contract. Student workers who are nominated and elected by peers, along with full time union staff who provide support and training, bargain with the university for a contract that covers wages, benefits, and working conditions.

What are some things that other student worker unions have won?

• Annual raises and tuition assistance
• Free transit passes for workers
• Increased sick leave accrual, paid bereavement leave, time-and-a-half on holidays
• Protections around disability accommodation, gender neutral restrooms, lactation rooms, needed equipment, paid trainings, dependent care
• Worker-management meetings
• Resolution procedures around sexual harassment and workplace discrimination
• Steward program to educate and assist workers in exercising workplace rights
• And more

Western Washington University’s student worker union Western Academic Workers United won undergraduate starting wages of $19 plus additional tuition assistance of $2 per hour worked up to $500 per term, and wages increase for jobs with higher levels of responsibility. See their contract and website here: WAWU: The Union of Student Employees at Western

Dartmouth students who work in dining won $21/hr starting wages plus $5/hour in dining credits that are redeemable for food. On finals week and large school events, they won time-and-a-half pay which would be minimum $31.50/hr plus dining credits. Dartmouth student worker union’s 2023-2025 contract can be found here: Contract 3.19.2023–3.19.2025 — Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth

Other unions are in the process of bargaining a first contract, like student workers in the University of California school system (California State University Employees Union | Home) who voted to join an existing unit of classified staff: CSU student workers overwhelmingly approve new labor union | News Channel 3-12

Union power comes from a majority of workers moving in the same direction – the more of us in communication and moving together, the more we can win.

What are the steps to form a union?

To form a union, we will need to have over 30% of workers sign an “authorization card” which is a signature that they support the democratic process of voting for union representation. If between 30-50% sign their support, it will go to an election. If over 50% sign, our union is automatically recognized and we can elect a team of student workers to bargain with the university for a contract that covers wages, benefits and working conditions.

Will I have to pay dues?

No one pays dues until the first contract goes into effect, and typically a major goal of the first contract is a raise. You get to elect the bargaining team to fight for the contract you want, and you get to vote to accept the contract. Student workers around the U.S. have won raises of $3-5 per hour or more; dues would be around $9 for every $500 you earn (in exact terms, 1.7% of pay + $2.75/month) and do not go into effect until after a contract is approved by vote. Dues are one of the ways we form a strong union with resources. Have questions? Reach out!

How can I get involved?

First, add your signature in support here: seiu503.org/studentworkers. Then start talking to your coworkers! Talk about issues that affect you at work and how to address them. Starting a union puts us on more of a level playing field to create solutions and have our voices be heard. If you want to learn more about organizing, reach out!

  @psustudentworkers – DM us!