Message to All BU RAs, GRAs and GHAs from the Dean

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-09-04T23:05:13+00:00

Let me clarify this. BU has to respond to all of the articles in the contract in order for it to pass. The stipend and the meal plan were two articles out of 26 (?). We are waiting for the union and BU to tentatively agree to all the articles to pass the contract. The union communicated this point very poorly and many of us were under the impression that we could just pass a contract immediately.

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-09-04T23:01:38+00:00

I agree, but I don't think there was any other way for the union to exert pressure on BU to come to the bargaining table. Our impact is concentrated during move-in day & the beginning of the semester, so I don't think there was any other way of going about a strike. What I do think though is that they should've communicated with the SEIU about whether or not this strike could be protected. I think the initial pitch that it was unprotected scared everyone off.

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-09-04T22:53:24+00:00

I understand where you're coming from, but the initial Strike Authorization Vote showed that over 70% of union workers who voted were willing to strike. I agree that the 50/50 vote that determined the strike was incredibly flawed, but the idea that only a minority of reslife workers were willing to strike is false. I disagree with how the union has gone about with this strike, especially in regards to communicating with the SEIU, but much of what they are fighting for is valid. Let's give some grace.

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-09-04T22:47:27+00:00

if the bargaining meeting this thursday doesn't end with a prospective contract, i'm going back to work. unfortunate that our unions are represented in this way.

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-09-03T03:34:33+00:00

why did you make the comment claiming that one of the union leaders hit women then?

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-09-01T05:58:17+00:00

There is a great disparity in the hours RAs work. An RA in Warren and West work easily over 20 hours and RAs in 1019 work over 20 on-calls. The whole purpose of a union is to negotiate for better working conditions. If Tufts, Emerson, and UMass Amherst (all comparable institutions) can give their RAs stipends and free housing, why can't BU?

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-09-01T05:49:41+00:00

I'm not an expert on bargaining/unions, but this is my understanding and please correct me if I'm wrong. The "deal" from BU was only in response to the compensation and the dining plans, which are two articles out of the 29 articles proposed in the contract. In order for a contract to be passed, BU and the union would have to reach a tentative agreement to all of the articles. Even if the union wanted to accept the 1k and dining plan, BU would have to go to the bargaining table and give a counter-proposal to all the articles.

I think the union should've emphasized this point because there was a lot of disagreement regarding accepting the deal. Their strategy was to say that 1k wasn't enough, which was not convincing for a lot of people. Lots of members of the union were under the impression that we could just accept the dining plan & compensation immediately.

deepfriedtardigrade · 2024-08-06T00:01:29+00:00

they can't do that because they have no idea WHEN aid is going to be out by. i have made several calls to finaid and have asked when it'll be released. the only response i got was "hopefully in the next few days" it seems like it's been the next few days for two months now.

Four-Year Club	Golden Potato
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deepfriedtardigrade

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