Student workers deserve a say. UGSDW can give them one.
Election Details
- When: Tuesday, November 27, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Where: Joe Rosenfield Center Room 101
- What to Bring: Photo ID such as a driver’s license or student ID.
- Questions or concerns: E-mail [email protected].
Updates
- November 27, 2018: Student workers voted for UGSDW by a 5-to-1 margin!
- November 19, 2018: Grinnell has filed a motion to stop the election going forward, with the help of three new lawyers from Proskauer Rose, one of the top union-busting firms in the country. The college now has five lawyers working to deny us a vote on a union.
- November 12, 2018: Grinnell College continues its misinformation and intimidation tactics.
- November 5, 2018: The Regional Director of the NLRB has ruled in UGSDW’s favor and directed an election.
- October 18, 2018: The labor board concludes a two-day hearing with UGSDW and the college about the union’s election petition. Read more.
- October 8, 2018: UGSDW has filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board, setting up a campus-wide election in the coming weeks.
Learn More: Frequently Asked Questions »
Read More: A Case for UGSDW for All »
Why a union?
Workers deserve a voice. Without student workers, there would be no food, no library, no mentor sessions, no mail delivery. We do vital work for the college. Some students work 20 hours a week. We should have a say in how we work.
Grinnell has always valued self-governance. College president George Gates famously said that “It is 10,000 times better that young people should learn to govern themselves.” Despite this, self-governance is notably absent in the workplace. Wages and hours are set arbitrarily by the administration, and jobs can disappear without notice or discussion.
UGSDW can provide a voice to student workers. Together, we can advocate for our common goals in a way that has not been possible before. We have an opportunity to fundamentally rethink the relationship between student labor and the college. We can make Grinnell the most unionized campus in the country, a place where democracy and fair wages are the rule rather than the exception.
More Information and Resources
Looking for a more detailed argument in favor of UGSDW’s expansion? The union has put together an extensively-researched document arguing in favor unionization, and explaining why the college’s “arguments” are little more than convenient misrepresentations designed to deny student workers their rights.
You can hear from the college in it’s own words on its dedicated unionization website.
An FAQ for expansion is also available.