About 20 Student Worker Alliance members stormed Provost Scott Bass’s office Feb. 3 to deliver a letter protesting AU’s decision to hire legal counsel to challenge the potential adjunct union.
The club marched around the Quad, shouting, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, union busting’s got to go” and holding signs earlier that day.
Student Worker Alliance member and College of Arts and Sciences junior Ethan Miller said the club supported an adjunct union because it will benefit students as well.
“A union will not change the quality of education, it would increase the quality of education,” he said.
Student Worker Alliance members protested AU because they believe the University is using student tuition to pay for this legal counsel, Miller said.
“We pay money for student tuition and don’t expect the University to use it to stifle democracy,” he said.
Associate Director of Media Relations Maralee Csellar said the National Labor Relations Board legally requires AU to hire legal counsel.
“Both the union and the University must be represented by legal counsel in these proceedings, and each does so responsibly by working with attorneys whose expertise is in labor law,” Csellar said.
AU adjunct faculty members are currently voting whether they want to unionize. The vote ends Feb. 16.
Miller said the University has not remained neutral during this election because it distributed flyers to every adjunct’s mailbox, emphasizing the liabilities of a union.
“They plan to challenge the election in court,” Miller said. “They don’t respect the election.”
Student Worker Alliance member and School of International Service freshman Emily Ellis said the Student Worker Alliance protested to raise student awareness.
