You may have heard that Macalester student workers are unionizing! Over the past year, our union collected authorization cards so that we could file for an election to become a legally-recognized representative of all student workers at Macalester. That election will be held on Feb. 25 and 26 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4 p.m.-7 p.m. in the Harmon Room on the first floor of the DeWitt Wallace Library.
Election Logistics:
I already signed a card. Do I also have to vote?
Yes! Signing a card was to demonstrate to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that the union had enough support to hold an election, but now we need everybody to vote to officially certify the Macalester Undergraduate Workers Union (MUWU).
Can I still vote if I haven’t signed a union card?
Yes! You can vote even if you haven’t signed a union card. Signing a card was to express your support for a certification election, but you can still vote even if you missed that step.
What happens if MUWU is certified in the election? Will I have a say in what our union
does?
Yes! MUWU is and will continue to be a democratic organization. Whether you vote yes, no or choose not to vote, all student workers will have an equal vote in our decisions, including about contract negotiation, union dues and affiliation with a national union.
Who is eligible to vote in the election? Student workers who work on campus (and are not paid through external grant funding) are eligible to vote. Stipended workers like Resident Assistants (RAs) are also eligible, but they will vote with provisional ballots. Hourly workers must have worked an average of 4 hours per week last semester, or so far this semester to vote. If you aren’t sure if you meet the criteria, we encourage you to show up to the Harmon Room during the election to see if you are eligible.
What are union dues? Unions collect dues to pay for administrative and legal expenses to best represent their workers. Our union will not collect any dues from members until after we have won our first contract. We will negotiate for a pay raise for every student worker that will be more than the amount we collect in dues. All decisions about dues will be made democratically, with every worker having a say.
Protections:
Can my boss or admin retaliate against me for voting yes in the upcoming election?
No. It is illegal for any party to retaliate against you for voting for union authorization.
Additionally, no one, whether the NLRB, US Government, Macalester Administration, or MUWU has any ability to know how you vote in the election.
Can I vote as an international student? What are my rights?
Yes! You have the same rights, under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), to engage in protected labor activity as every student worker at Macalester, regardless of citizenship, visa or immigration status. U.S. Immigration agencies cannot ask you about your union membership, and membership or support of unionization will not affect your visa status. We encourage international student workers to make their voice heard through this election.
Responding to Macalester’s FAQs:
You may have seen the Frequently Asked Questions posted on Macalester’s website. Some of those answers are misleading, not acknowledging their own role as an employer. Here’s our union’s perspective on some of those same questions.
Can the union guarantee better wages and benefits?
MUWU can only guarantee that we will fight for a living wage, better conditions and more control over hours for all student workers. Only the college can guarantee better wages, but we know that they are not going to do so without pressure from us. Most student workers make minimum wage, we think you deserve better.
How long will it take to win a contract?
We hope to win a contract by the end of next semester. At some other colleges and universities where student workers have been with fierce opposition from their administrations, negotiations have taken longer than that. We plan to have a strong organization of workers ready to fight for a strong contract and hope that Macalester will bargain with us in good faith.
Why should I vote?
Voting yes ensures that our union will be officially formed. Voting is also an opportunity to make your voice heard and show that we have a strong majority. We hope that, after the election, there will be no question as to what student workers at Macalester want.
Why should I care about the union?
A union will give student workers legally recognized collective power to make the changes at Macalester that we want to see. Our union can fight for higher wages for everyone, better working conditions in Cafe Mac and other difficult workplaces, better communication from managers and other demands student workers share. We want a guarantee that every student worker is scheduled enough hours to earn their work study award and has an equal opportunity to keep working after they’ve hit that amount. We want to protect the things that are good about our jobs now. Union members have the right to an advocate in the room with them when they have disputes with managers. Our union can also fight for specific protections and benefits for marginalized students on campus.
I want to be more involved with the union; what can I do? I have more questions; who do I contact?
Our organizing committee meets every Sunday at 3 p.m. in Carnegie 305. You can also fill out the MUWU plan to vote form, which has an option to put you in contact with a MUWU organizer.
Feel free to DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected].
