A group of student workers at the University of Rhode Island is seeking to kick off the process of unionizing in hopes of better working conditions at university workplaces.
The students, who asked to maintain anonymity, cited specific concerns with work conditions in the dining halls.
“[Dining hall employees] are not getting the raises we were promised,” One student worker said. “It’s the safety issues that we face working in the dish room.”
A union organizer was “horrified” to learn that students operated the dishwashing machine, according to a student worker. The lack of Personal Protective Equipment for dishwashers was another concern.
“We just use these very thin plastic gloves and we’re pulling metal pans out of these hundreds of degrees steamed dishwashers,” A student worker said. “I’ve seen people like that showed off their hands are like, burned.”
URI student workers first reached out to the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee a year ago, according to student representatives. Caseworker Chris Reed was assigned to the university.
The process to unionize employees could take years, according to the student workers. The first step is outreach to the larger university employee community, which is the phase the student workers are in.
“We’re just trying to gauge if there is interest, if there is attitude and that kind of thing,” one student worker said.
A number of students respond to the prospect of a union with confusion, according to one student employee.
“Once you say the word union, there is definitely a tightening, a buckling up of what people think, of their attitude,” A student employee said.
Other student employees responded in an “overwhelmingly positive” manner, according to the student employees.
Unionizing would be outside of the university’s jurisdiction, according to the student representatives. Union cards would be handed out and signed by students interested in joining the union. Once 30% of student workers sign union cards, a vote would be held for all university undergraduate employees. If the majority rules, the union is formed.
University administration has yet to reach out to the group, according to representatives.
“We heard that they’re aware of something going on, though not quite what,” One student said.
Unionizing student employees was a key component of the presidential election campaign for URI Student Senate Reps. Kairy Gonzalez and Ryan Niro, before they fell to newly-inducted President Madison Hinrichs and Vice President Kyanna Lin.
Gonzalez and Niro were endorsed by the URI chapter of Youth Democratic Socialists of America, who are working with the student workers group in the unionizing effort, according to the group. The group remains open to working with the new senate administration.
Students interested in working with or contacting the student organizers can reach them on Instagram @uristudentworkers, or message them directly at uristudentworkers@gmail.com.
