As a former Senior Resident Assistant at Ohio University, I am writing to express my full support for the effort to unionize RAs on campus, and to encourage RAs who might be on the fence to sign up for the union.
Every spring, a ritual begins where new and returning RAs line up to sign their contracts for the upcoming year. The event is mostly perfunctory, as the language in the contracts has been decided on long before RAs put ink to paper. At its most basic level, the purpose of a union is to provide employees with a democratically elected voice in their workplace. As others have pointed out, a union would help ensure RAs receive adequate compensation for their work, a fair disciplinary process, and control over their working conditions.
I anticipate some RAs are resistant to a union because they might already feel their compensation is fair; after all, RAs are set to receive a stipend and benefits increase next year. However, it’s unclear how involved RAs were in evaluating that increase, and some additional participation and transparency in that process via a union would give RAs more assurance that their compensation is appropriate for the work they are doing.
Regardless, the purpose of union is about much more than compensation. I can think of a number of occasions when a fellow RA who had a conflict with their supervisor came to me for advice, with topics ranging from frustrations about programming requirements to potentially being fired. While I was always happy to give it, I can’t say I was the most qualified. The truth is, RAs have few people who they can confidently turn to when facing something like probation or termination to determine whether the disciplinary action is justified or not. Having a union representative would provide RAs with someone to go to for advice when a dispute arises, and avoid putting other RAs in the awkward position of playing amateur legal counsel.
However, one of the most significant benefits of an RA union isn’t something that can be quantified in higher wages or changes in policy. By and large, union members report greater satisfaction in work and in life than non-union members. One explanation for this higher satisfaction is that collective bargaining gives employees a tangible role in the policy decision-making. For that reason, an RA union should not be interpreted as an attack on the current administration of Residential Housing, but rather a benefit for all involved. By having a stake in the creation of their job expectations, more RAs are likely to embrace and even exceed those expectations.
I hope this effort catalyzes other unionization efforts around campus. Graduate Assistants, dining hall employees, adjunct faculty, athletes, and all workers at OU should be treated fairly by the place they contribute so much to. Your work matters, and all employees — students, staff, and faculty — deserve the right to have a real say in their workplace.
Matt Farmer is an Ohio University alumnus and former columnist for The Post.
