Additional Information on Unionization

Q: What can I expect when I go to Wyckoff Center on May 9 to vote?

A: A representative from the NLRB will be present to oversee the secret ballot vote. RAs and CAs who are eligible to vote must come to the voting location between Noon and 2 p.m. or between 3 and 7 p.m. In addition to the NLRB representative, there will also be two observers at the voting location – one observer for the College and one observer from the proposed bargaining unit. When you arrive at the voting location, you will be asked to provide your name, which will be matched to a voter list. You will then proceed to a voting booth and complete a paper ballot that will then be placed in the ballot box. 

Q: I have been asked a few times how I plan to vote. Is that appropriate?

A: You may not know yet how you plan to vote, or you may not wish to share your plans. You are under no obligation to tell anyone how you plan to vote. The vote on May 9 will be by secret ballot and everyone’s vote will be private.

Q: Is the union elected to serve for a specific number of years?

A: No. If a union is chosen by current RAs and CAs as their legal representative, it will continue to serve unless its members undertake a process to decertify it.

Q: How come this decision will be made largely by students who will graduate or otherwise leave their RA positions and not be affected by the outcome?

A: The bargaining unit, as proposed by SEIU, includes only Resident Assistants and Community Assistants. To make clear which students were eligible to vote, the NLRB determined that students who were employed as RAs or CAs as of April 14, 2023, are eligible.

Q: How come this decision will be made largely by students who will graduate or otherwise leave their RA positions and not be affected by the outcome?

A: The bargaining unit, as proposed by SEIU, includes only Resident Assistants and Community Assistants. To make clear which students were eligible to vote, the NLRB determined that students who were employed as RAs or CAs as of April 14, 2023, are eligible.

Q: Why is the only choice the SEIU? Why can’t we choose among several unions?

A: SEIU Local 2000 is the only union to have submitted a petition to represent those Skidmore students who serve as RAs and CAs.

Q: Will RAs and CAs have to pay membership dues to the union? If so, what is the amount?

A: If a union is elected, it negotiates a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that will govern the terms of employment for all RAs and CAs. The CBA may contain a “union security” clause that mandates payment of union membership dues by every member of the bargaining unit. Questions about whether SEIU will seek to require everyone in the bargaining unit to pay union dues and the amount of those dues should be addressed with SEIU.  

Q: Can I refuse to pay union dues? 

A: Under a typical union security clause, all bargaining unit members would be required to pay for union representation. Objectors to joining a union can decline to actually join the union as dues-paying members and can pay a reduced amount, known as core membership dues, which typically amount to about 90% of full dues. 

Q: Will I have to pay dues after I graduate or if I do not return as a RA or CA?

A: No, if you are no longer employed in the bargaining unit, you will no longer be represented by the union and will not have to pay dues.

Q: Can the decision on the union be deferred so we can talk to the College directly on issues of concern to the RAs and CAs?

A: No, while the administration and Student Affairs staff are always available and open to listen to issues of concern, the College and SEIU have agreed and the NLRB has approved an election on Tuesday, May 9.

Q: What is to be learned from this discussion about students unionizing at Skidmore College?

A: Students have influence and power, and their concerns are taken seriously. When RAs, CAs and other student leaders asked the College to address the increasing demands of their positions, the College responded and, through a collaborative process, important and meaningful changes have been made and more are coming. For our RAs and CAs, the choice now is whether to continue to deal directly with the College on matters of compensation and benefits or engage a third-party union to handle those matters for them and future RAs and CAs.