Unionized student workers are with us—check out a solidarity message from University of Buffalo!
Fellow student workers,
Did you know that we're part of a movement? Thousands of undergraduate and graduate student workers have unionized in recent years! Student workers have organized across the country, at large schools and small schools. They've negotiated strong contracts that improved their working conditions and protected their rights. And they've reached out in solidarity with our campaign! Here's a powerful letter from Joey, Gabby, Hanyu, Kit, Omar, and Eugene—worker leaders in the University of Buffalo Graduate Student Employees Union (CWA Local 1104).
Be sure to update your mailing address with Berea in case we have a mail ballot election this summer! If you already have and haven't let us know, yet, reply to this email with "y!"
On behalf of the USWB-CWA Organizing Committee,
Zinnia Blair, Class of 2024, Electrician, Theatre
Abraham Garcia-Romero, Class of 2026, Executive President, Student Government Association
The University at Buffalo Graduate Student Employees Union (UB GSEU) is proud to send a warm welcome from the Communication Workers of America family towards our fellow union members at Berea in the United Student Workers of Berea-CWA (USWB-CWA). Being part of CWA has meant having a voice at our workplace here at State University of New York (SUNY) University at Buffalo, fighting for better wages and conditions, and getting the administration to drop unfair fees and respect our rights.
When we stand up together, we win. With our classmates and workmates, with SUNY graduate workers across the state, with workers in the CWA education section—we have been able to benefit and make a real change in the lives of the people we work with every day, from raises and quality health coverage to holding social gatherings and building community.
As a union, we have built relationships with fellow workers, hosted events with student groups, walked the picket line with striking union workers in town, and broken bread with community groups. Being in a union is improving our own lives, but it is also so much more; it's about actively having each others' backs.
Your victory at Berea College matters to all workers. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. We are happy to celebrate your steps towards a better workplace. As students and workers, we recognize how important the union difference makes in the lives of the people around us, not only workers but our families, our schools, our neighborhoods and beyond. This is a wonderful time to walk with the labor movement and continue to renew a tradition that takes the path of fairness, caring, and togetherness while pushing back against inequality, exploitation, and isolation. Let's keep organizing and keep up the good work—our era calls on us to bring real change and concrete mutual aid.
Thank you for standing up for yourselves as workers by forming a union and demanding fairness. When you do so, you stand up for all of us, and we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with the United Student Workers of Berea-CWA (USWB-CWA).
In Solidarity,
UB GSEU, CWA Local 1104 Leadership and Organizers
Joey, Gabby, Hanyu, Kit, Omar and Eugene