Update on RA Unionization
Dear Resident Assistants and Community Assistants:
I am writing to share with you that the National Labor Relations Board has approved an agreement between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Skidmore College to conduct an election to determine whether students who serve as Resident Assistants and Community Assistants wish to join a union.
The election will be held at the Wyckoff Center Conference Room on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, between 12 and 2 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.
The NLRB has determined that any Skidmore student who was actively employed as a Resident Assistant or Community Assistant as of April 14, 2023, is eligible to vote. This means that both RAs and CAs who are expected to graduate in May and other RAs and CAs who are not returning to this role after the end of the Spring semester are eligible to vote. RAs and CAs who have been hired for the Summer or Fall 2023 semesters but were not in active service on April 14, 2023, are not eligible.
The election will be decided by a majority of the students who actually vote.
Today, Skidmore is providing the NLRB and SEIU a list of eligible voters. As an eligible voter, your name, work location, shift, job classification and contact information (including home addresses, available personal email addresses and available home and personal cell phone numbers), will be provided by the College. As a result, you may receive visits, calls, emails or texts from the union representatives. You are free to speak with or decline to speak with union representatives who visit or call you.
I appreciate those of you who have reached out with questions. Here are the answers to some additional questions that have been raised.
Q: I’m curious whether RAs who are on the roster for the fall are able to vote?
A: No. The NLRB has determined that only those RAs and CAs who were actively employed as of April 14, 2023, are eligible to vote. Therefore, RAs and CAs who have been hired for the Summer or Fall 2023 semesters who were not RAs or CAs as of April 14, 2023, are not eligible to vote.
Q: If I signed a union card, do I have to vote for the union?
A: No. A union authorization card simply expresses an interest in a union so that a petition can be filed with the NLRB for an election. For the upcoming election, you can vote however you like. The election will be a secret ballot.
Q: Is there a minimum number of RAs/CAs that must vote in order to decide the outcome of the election?
A: No. The vote is determined by a majority of the RAs and CAs who vote. In other words, if 20 of the current 47 RAs and CAs vote, then only 11 need to vote “yes.” They will decide for all other RAs and CAs in the group. That is why it is important to make sure you vote.
Q: Given the annual turnover in RAs and CAs, will RAs and CAs have a chance to vote on union representation each year?
A: No. If the union wins, it becomes the exclusive and ongoing representative of all RAs and CAs without an annual “re-election.”
It is a busy time in the semester, and I know you all have a lot on your plates and on your minds. The College is here to continue to answer your questions in preparation for the election on May 9. I encourage anyone with other questions about the election process, union membership, the collective bargaining process or any other aspect of this important decision to reach out to me (studentaffairs@skidmore.edu) to answer. The College will continue to update the FAQs on the Dean of Students website as questions come in.
Stay well,
Adrian