Anti-Union Bingo

What does it mean to have a union at Berea?

Our union is an independent worker-run organization that serves to improve the working conditions for all student workers. We are in the process of winning legal recognition.

When we win our union we can bargain over issues like training, workplace safety, accommodations for workers with disabilities, sick leave, protections against discrimination and excessive workloads, and clear job descriptions.

Our vision is to build a more equitable and democratic environment that values our labor.

We strive to uphold the democratic tradition pursued by our College’s founder John G. Fee, and Berea College’s Fourth Great Commitment: “to honor the dignity and utility of all work, mental and manual.”

We believe Berea College will be a better college for everyone when student workers have a seat at the decision-making table.

Beat misinformation, play Anti-Union Bingo!

When employees try to organize a union for better working conditions, employers often fight back because they don't want to give up any power. See if you hear these common anti-union points this semester. Below, we break down what these anti-union talking points really mean.

"Our hands are tied. We have to wait for the NLRB to make a decision."

The college could drop its legal challenges and agree to a free and fair union election at any point. We could be bargaining and making Berea better right now. But instead, the college is paying an anti-union law firm thousands of dollars to draw out the legal process

"You will have to pay more. The cost of education will increase."

The truth is that we will elect a bargaining committee of our peers to negotiate a fair contract with the college administration, and then what our bargaining committee agrees on will go to all of us as union members to vote to approve or send back to the bargaining table. Would you vote for a contract that leaves you worse off or hurts Berea?

"The union is aggressive and harassing students."

We talk to our workers, knock on doors, and make phone calls because our union is everyone's union. It's important that everyone is given a chance to speak about their issues, learn what it means to have a union at Berea, and be given a chance to join. The truth is that for things to change at Berea student workers have to talk to each other about the issues we care about.

"We’re just informing you..."

Our college administration has sent many emails but has not been neutral in this process. The truth is the administration is spending thousands of dollars on a team of anti-union lawyers to stop us from organizing.

"Our financial aid model will break."

The truth is that we will vote to decide whether to approve a proposal, and we have no intention of approving a proposal that would hurt us or Berea. In fact, out of the more than 130,000 student employees who have organized, we couldn’t find a single example of a contract where student employees voted to approve a proposal that hurt their college.

"The union is an outside third-party."

We are the union! Hundreds of us have worked hard to make this campaign a reality. If you want to get involved, there are plenty of ways to do that.

"FERPA (The union wants your INFORMATION)."

Because the College is fighting our union campaign, we have to have an election to show that a majority of student workers want a union. The NLRB, which oversees union elections, needs a list of student workers to run that election and has asked the college to provide that list. Student records like grades and financial aid history are not being shared with our union or the NLRB.

"You’re not an employee and don’t get paid a wage."

Student workers who receive non-traditional payment for their work have unionized. For example, the Dartmouth Men’s basketball team was compensated through equipment, tickets, and lodging, and numerous resident assistants are paid in housing and meal vouchers.

"Our door is always open."

We are thrilled to hear that the administration is now ready to listen to us! By forming a union we will be in a better position to work directly with our administrators, as legal equals, to bargain a contract so as to win even better support for all student workers. Forming a union is not a personal attack on our administration but an invitation for a genuinely collaborative relationship.