Syracuse, NY — Tara Slater works three jobs at Syracuse University. Depending on the season, she puts in 40 to 60 hours a week working as an administrative assistant in the Maxwell School, at the Dome’s box office and at SU’s School of Education.
She started at SU 10 years ago, following her mother, who did a little bit of everything at the university for more than 25 years.
Slater, 46, said her mother used to tell her SU was a good place to work but she also warned her “it takes 20 years to get to a decent wage (at SU).”
“That’s why I’m here. I don’t want to say the same (thing),” Slater said. “She taught me that this is a great place to work, but I don’t know if I can afford to do three jobs the next 20 years.”
Slater joined more than 200 people on SU’s promenade Thursday to announce the efforts by administrative, food service and library workers to join the Service Employees International Union.
Last year, graduate student workers voted overwhelmingly to form Syracuse Graduate Employees United with SEIU. The more than 1,000 workers ratified their first contract this week. More than 800 service workers on campus are also represented by SEIU.
Other unions on campus include the Department of Public Safety union, Adjuncts United and Teamsters Local 317.
About 1,900 workers make up the library, food service and administrative staff on campus. SEIU says more than 30% of them have signed union authorization cards. Workers hope to file with the National Labor Relations Board for an election by the end of the semester.
In a statement, the university said it “values the significant contributions made by all members of our community, including our students, faculty and staff.”
“We recognize and respect their right to explore unionization and determine whether or not they wish to be represented by a labor union,” the statement said. “We also believe it is critical for all students and employees to have a full understanding of how unionization could affect them before making any decision.”
Workers on Thursday said higher wages, better healthcare benefits and improved working conditions are all issues they’d like to see addressed in a contract.
Hussain Suwasrawala, 23, has worked at Brockway Dining Hall for almost two years while studying engineering management as a master’s degree student.
He considers himself lucky to work 20 hours a week, the maximum allowed for international students. He said getting steady shifts largely depends on relationships with management and that fighting over limited hours has pit employees against each other.
“There’s a lot of bias when it comes to giving out work,” he said. “I shouldn’t have to build these relationships to get these shifts.”
Suwasrawala said he hopes that by forming a union workers will have more say in how shifts get assigned and that workers will be paid higher rates for working holidays.
He also hopes that other international students won’t have to work at multiple spots around campus to reach 20 hours a week.
Sravani Eldasari, 24, has worked at Brockway Dining Hall, cafes on campus and is now a research assistant while she works toward graduating from a master’s degree program at the end of this semester.
Although she won’t see the benefits from a union she’s working to form, she said she wants students after her to have a better starting point.
“I have faced these challengers before, but it doesn’t mean other students have to face them too,” she said. “I want to make sure other students don’t have these issues and moving forward they have better respect and better wages from the start.”
Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him at [email protected].
