When Gwenych Adam was admitted to the hospital with a severe kidney infection last December, the seven days she spent on an IV meant both time lost from her job at Cal Poly Humboldt and financial strain that could not be recovered.
It is a prevailing practice at present. Adam, a sophomore majoring in social work, along with her peers, does not accumulate paid sick leave while employed in on-campus positions. Nonetheless, a newly formed union for undergraduate student workers has made it a public priority to negotiate with the California State University system for the provision of paid sick leave.
Adam shared, “I’ve overheard my colleagues mention how they feel unwell but have no choice but to show up because they can’t afford to miss work, and I completely understand because I’m in the same situation. I’ve heard them discuss the necessity of coming in even when it’s inconvenient simply because they can’t financially afford to take time off.”
The formation of the new union, although not yet in the formal organization or negotiation phase with the CSU, stemmed from a vote. Out of approximately 20,000 undergraduate workers in the CSU, 7,050 voted in favor of unionizing, with only 7,750 participating in the voting process.
While on-campus jobs offer convenience due to proximity to classes and student housing, as well as relatively predictable schedules, Adam and her fellow undergraduate workers are compensated at minimum wage, currently set at $16 per hour, with a maximum of 20 hours per week—an aspect that adds pressure to their financial stability in managing expenses like rent and food while juggling full-time studies.
Adam remarked, “I, along with my colleagues, have the capacity to work more hours, but we are restricted, making it challenging to budget when limited to 20 hours a week for the entire month.”
During negotiations, the newly established union members will receive support from the larger CSU employee union they are set to join, as stated by Khan Weinberg, a spokesperson for the CSU Employee’s Union.
Weinberg emphasized, “Wages are a crucial concern for these workers, and a significant motivation for forming a union was to address the issue of livable wages.”
Another undergraduate student, Zoey Reed, who does not hold an on-campus job and thus would not be covered by the union, expressed optimism that the union could address broader issues affecting nearly all CSU campuses, particularly the availability and affordability of housing.
Reed highlighted, “I believe the pressing concerns for students currently revolve around livability, especially with the significant challenges related to housing affordability. It’s quite tough for many to afford living here in general.”
The union is poised to become one of the largest labor organizations for undergraduate student workers nationwide, according to a statement from the CSU.
Leora Freedman, CSU Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, mentioned in the statement, “The CSU has a longstanding tradition of offering on-campus employment opportunities to students through student assistant roles, providing them with valuable work experience while pursuing their degrees. The CSU respects the decision of student assistants to unionize and is committed to engaging in fair negotiations with the newly formed CSUEU student assistant unit.”