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Administrative, professional and technical staff at Syracuse University are preparing to seek union recognition from the university, aiming to hold a union election by the end of May.

Syracuse Graduate Employees United have made significant progress in obtaining better wages, compensation, working conditions and work-life balance for graduate workers through their contract ratification. These efforts inspired other groups of on-campus staff, such as hourly food service and library workers, to begin forming their own unions.

Now, administrative, professional and technical staff are similarly introducing these efforts. While some staff members have said they are generally happy working at SU, the union hopes to create a more fair work environment, increase transparency and improve compensation.

“It was clear that the union difference was palpable,” said Margaret Craft, an academic operations analyst at SU’s School of Information Studies. “I work with amazing colleagues all across campus, and our contributions are unique and essential to this university’s achievements … we want the recognition and respect that deserves.”

Tara Slater, administrative assistant at the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration in SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said SGEU’s efforts motivated her to get involved in unionization. She said SU is a “great place to work,” but the work environment needs “adjustments.”

Similar to the response from food service and library workers, Slater said she works three jobs to support herself amid rising costs of living across the country. She said workers’ wages across United States colleges have not grown alongside these increases, forcing them to speak out.

“I really like my job, but I know I can’t continue at this rate. I can’t stay here,” Slater said.

Craft said she has noticed SU administrative workers are often tasked with responsibilities “outside of their role(s),” but their wages do not reflect the amount of work they take on. She wants these employees to be “paid accordingly” for what they do outside their job description.

Calysta Lee | Staff Photographer

Margaret Craft stands in front of a mural, which depicts the scene of a labor strike, outside of SU’s Huntington Beard Crouse Hall. Several SU workers recently demonstrated in support of on-campus unionization efforts during a March 28 rally.

The staff members are in the process of attaining a fair election process and a “neutral third party” to help them run the election before the end of May, Craft said.

She said many people involved in the recognition process consulted past unionization agreements with the university. The staff hope their efforts will receive “equal treatment” to those of past unionizing groups, she said.

Loren Cunningham, internship placement coordinator at the School of Social Work in SU’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, said over 50% of administrative, professional and technical personnel across SU’s academic units have signed union cards. Cunningham said academic staff largely consists of women, which contributed to her motivation to increase benefits.

“My core values around empowerment of women and financial independence, that’s something that’s really important to me,” Cunningham said. “I really think these themes of equity for staff in terms of benefits … really resonates for me.”

Slater, Cunningham and Craft all said they want to pursue efforts toward an agreement because they want to continue their careers at SU. Slater said the union has already generated faculty support, which will help make the union “stronger.”

“I love my position … I want to be able to stay here and build a career here. I’m a new employee and so that’s something that I’m hopeful for,” Cunningham said.

Along with advocating for their rights in the workplace, Craft said workers hope to create better conditions for future employees at SU through the eventual contract agreements. She said she worries about the recruitment and retention of administrative and faculty employees if they continue to feel like they lack the financial resources to support themselves and their families.

If the election is coordinated by May and enough votes are cast, the staff members will achieve university recognition of their union and begin working toward drafting an agreement with SU.

“Any opportunity to unionize in higher education is an opportunity to raise the standards for higher education as a whole,” Craft said. “It’s a really important process to be able to advocate for ourselves and negotiate with the university on equal footing. And this is not a negative response in any way … we all want a sustainable future at SU.”

CLARIFICATION: A previous version of this article referred to the staff as “clerical staff” as stated in press releases. Administrative, professional and technical staff better represents the group’s membership.

Published on April 16, 2024 at 10:13 pm