My name is Cory McCartan, and I’m a first-year in Statistics. I facilitated today’s bargaining session with the administration—our first since over 2,700 members voted to authorize a strike by a 9 to 1 margin. Eighteen months after we formed our union, the university administration is still refusing to agree to fair pay, paid family leave, comprehensive and affordable health care, or a neutral grievance procedure for discrimination and harassment complaints. And as we told the administration at the table today, eighteen months is more than enough—we want and deserve a fair contract this semester.
We came to the bargaining session with several substantive proposals to bring us closer to a contract this semester: proposals on childcare, paid leave, housing, retirement, parking and transit, and tax assistance. Unfortunately, the administration did not respond in kind in key areas. They again refused to negotiate over our health plan. If the administration continues down this path, it is hard to imagine reaching agreement without further action. They have a chance now, seeing our democratic will so clearly, to change course.
If you want to learn more about the status of bargaining and discuss next steps following our strike authorization vote, please join me and other members of our bargaining committee at our Town Halls in Longwood and Cambridge today and tomorrow:
- The Longwood Town Hall will take place TODAY, October 31, from 12-2pm, at the Armenise Amphitheater (ARM 125-D).
- The Cambridge Town Hall will take place TOMORROW, November 1, from 12-2pm, in Science Center Hall A.
There will be an opportunity to ask individual questions, and these town halls will be closed to the press.
It’s remarkably inspiring to see student workers from across the university come together to vote to authorize a strike. Our bargaining committee’s power at the table ultimately depends on student workers in every department as well as our community (like our students, whose support letter is growing every day) speaking out and taking action to demand a contract that guarantees the rights and protections that we all deserve.
In solidarity,
Cory McCartan
