Get Involved!
There are many ways to get involved in your union. Membership is the highest decision-making body in our union: Members elects leadership (our Executive Board, Bargaining Committee, and union stewards) and votes on key decisions (from voting to strike to changing our bylaws). Any member can bring a motion at a general membership meeting, and members also run and shape our various working groups and committees–and stewards and organizers also plan and carry out organizing in their depts.
Where should I plug in?
We talk a lot about “organizing” – which just means talking to and engaging other people. Organizing within HGSU starts at the department level, but also happens at many other levels. Organizers talk with their colleagues about what changes they would like to see in their workplaces–and on campus more broadly! Then, we build consensus around how labor power can support those goals.
At the department level:
Most departments have semi-regular organizing meetings, where stewards and organizers come together to discuss department-specific issues, build engagement in their program, and to discuss union-wide decisions or events that are relevant to the department.
Get in touch with your union steward or staff member to learn more about organizing in your dept!
At the school or campus level:
Some schools or campuses hold meetings focused on organizing and addressing issues across depts. For example, physics and SEAS have a long-standing social hour; the Harvard School of Public Health holds its own organizing committee meeting on a (usually) weekly basis. If you’d like to learn if your school or campus has its own meeting–or if you’d like to create a school or campus-wide space to discuss union organizing–reach out to hgsu.general@gmail.com.
At the Working Group or Committee Level
HGSU has many working groups and committees–some are issue-focused, while others serve particular functions within the union. If you want to share a particular skill with your union or do issue-based organizing, a WG or committee might be right for you. Our WGs and committees are:
- Working Groups: Feminist Working Group, Racial Justice Working Group, International Scholars Working Group
- Committees: Finance and Benefits Committee, Communications Committee, Governance and Participation Committee, Contract Education and Enforcement Committee, Solidarity Committee
Learn more about our working groups and committees here!
At the Union-Wide Level:
Two union-wide meetings happen on a weekly or monthly basis:
- Organizing Meeting: This meeting is always held on Mondays at 7pm. A crucial strategy space, OM brings together organizers from across departments and schools to talk about organizing goals, allowing for coordination across departments and schools. All student workers are welcome at OM–and are encouraged to share their perspectives on organizing, regardless of experience!
- General Membership Meetings: These meetings typically happen on the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. GMMs are both informational and formal decision-making spaces, open to all workers–but only members can vote. Any member can bring a motion during these meetings.
How it all fits together:
