By JAZMIN GOMEZ
On Tuesday, Feb. 4, a union challenging the existing work conditions at Beloit College formally publicized their intentions to the administration. Already a known entity to students and some staff on campus, going public to the administration means revealing themselves as a movement. In the future, the union intends for the administration to sign a neutrality agreement or start a dialogue with the intent to sign a neutrality agreement, a contract that states the employer, Beloit College, will not oppose union efforts or engage in union-busting methods. Gathering support and testimony from students includes the union’s latest dealings.
The union’s current organizers Jake Fein’27, Olivia Alvarado’25, Ela Heywood’26, Tessa Hunter’26 and Ben O’Conner’26 began the union this past fall. Contending no movement calling any student organization existed, Fein says, “There were some movements that I was aware of that started last year around trying to advocate for better student conditions, but that was definitely not union language. We never got past the step of, we’re asking pretty please.” The organizers’ purpose seems to include the creation of a democratic structure that forces acknowledgments and answers.
Alvarado also speaks to the recent change in Beloit College’s functionality after COVID-19. They mention a change in the workforce, specifically a lack of precedent set for certain student positions. Motivated to unionize after their own job experiences, Alvarado looks for similar circumstances saying, “We’ve spoken with Marquette, Grinnell and Smith organizing committees. And we know we aren’t alone. I think that’s really helped is that we aren’t the first college to do this.”
“The resolve has been trying to fight for something that I know is right and something that I know we deserve as students, we deserve as human beings in general. It’s just fighting injustice,” Fein states as their own motivations to organize. Yet, what injustices did Beloit College commit? The union’s mission includes reparations for the student worker and for the student’s humanity.
Mentioning the rhetoric that college students are not seen as full-functioning human beings, Fein views students as deserving of recognition as people with families and responsibilities saying, “There’s a little bit of viewing you as still part of your parents. You’re not an actual worker in the real world. It just comes across as tone-deaf of the realities of students on this campus.” Sharing a similar sentiment, Alvarado says, “A lot of students are also using this to pay for their tuition, pay for their families, pay for their partners. And that is also stated in the Beloit website.” They allude to the statement, “Working on campus provides students with a valuable extension to the educational experience at Beloit while earning money to help meet expenses,” located on Beloit College’s student employment page.
Both organizers speak on the lack of credit given to students causing their perceptions to impact their worth in dollars. The main goal of the union tackles student wages and training. They demand an increase in student pay closer to a livable wage and to link the pay to cost of living increases or tuition increases. Concerning training, they ask for an increase in training protocols for students and supervisors to decrease on-site accidents and bias reports. Another core tenet includes an accessible grievance policy. The union acknowledges the existence of bias report forms and a so-called grievance handbook but critiques their accessibility or challenges their existence at all.
“So, a success would look like signing a collective bargaining agreement. A lot of it also is creating this form of communication that takes into account all of these different experiences that have happened on campus. At the end of it, we really just want student workers to feel seen, understood and supported. We don’t want this super hierarchical structure because that’s what we’re trying to undo in the first place,” Alvarado summarizes the union’s overarching goal.
Fein and Alvarado qualify the union’s intentions to harbor a collective goodwill. Fein says, “We’re not saying this is a giant systemic problem that the college is willfully ignoring,” speaking on the college’s own willingness or abilities to combat these issues. Alvarado cites Beloit College’s values as supporting unionizing efforts saying, “Beloit advocates for interdisciplinary thinking, applied learning, and becoming active agents of change. And I can’t really imagine a better way to demonstrate Beloit’s values than to do this effort and to organize.”
Fein asks all students to support saying, “If you are at all interested in supporting student workers, start having conversations with people. If you’re a student worker, sign a union authorization card. And then if you’re not a student worker, you can also sign a petition showcasing your support.” Interested students can visit the union’s Instagram page for the Linktree to sign the union authorization cards or look out for union flyers’ QR codes for more information.
“A lot of the anti-union sentiments are built on fear, mainly based around misconception, which is understandable. So I will say getting in contact is a big one. Getting informed,” Alvarado says on what students should do right now.
The union will attend the Spring Involvement Fair this Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.. Their next meeting will be on Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Featured image: Jake Fein’27, Olivia Alvarado’25, Ela Heywood’26, Tessa Hunter’26, Ben O’Conner’26
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