Connecting the Movement: Sarah Kelley
Today, we conclude “Connecting the Movement” with Sarah Kelley, a student at UMass-Amherst. UMass-Amherst launched a campaign to organize new workers on their campus, ending with a victory for hundreds of campus workers.
How’d you get involved with SLAP?
I first heard about SLAP in the first semester of my junior year when I attended a seminar regarding a plan to construct new honors dormitories in the center of campus. I had questions and concerns about the effects of construction on off-campus neighborhoods, the burden that increased fees would have on students, and the overall negative social and economic consequences of this step towards the privatization of our university.
Upon hearing our shared apprehensions, I was approached by friends within SLAP. They explained how the concerns I raised connected with the ideology and mission of SLAP, and recruited me to join and support the new chapter in gaining status as a Registered Student Organization (RSO). I immediately felt connected to the community, a group of high-spirited students committed to improving workers’ rights, and attracted to the mission of making links between on-campus organizations and those in the local community. Although the school year is out, I have continued my work with SLAP this summer as an intern for the Jobs with Justice office in Boston.
What is the biggest problem facing workers in the country?
The biggest problem facing workers today is the devolution of the U.S. government into a plutocracy. As corporations gain control over workers and the government, fair labor laws in the workplace are threatened. In addition, as our country’s social, political, and economic policies become increasingly slanted towards enriching corporations, the integrity of workers’ rights deteriorates. We can no longer depend on government officials alone to ensure the protection of our human rights. Pressure must come from the bottom up, from the workers themselves.
What is the importance of having students in the fight for workers’ rights?
The economic justice of our future hinges on our generation’s willingness and ability to generate strategies for working-class victory. The current uprisings in Wisconsin and other states would not have been as powerful without student involvement. Teacher, student, and community leaders must take advantage of these inspiring examples of responsible, effective civic action and use them to empower students nation-wide. Students bring creativity, hope, insight and energy. We have the resources to reflect on the history of the labor movement, the tools to connect with worker and community groups both on- and off-campus, and the motivation to fight for a just future.
What campaigns have you and your group been working on this year?
The main focus of our SLAP chapter this past semester was our campaign for 03 dining common workers. The “03” designation means these workers are “temporary workers,” but many have been at the same job for as long as 20 years. These workers work alongside permanent employees, or “01”s, who do the exact same jobs but receive higher pay and better benefits. The university provides little opportunity for 03s to upgrade to 01 status: last year, only one 01 job opened up and over 600 03 workers applied for it.
When the union that 01s belong to, AFSCME, got a ruling from the state that allowed them to unionize UMass’s 03s as well, they asked UMass SLAP to help them organize a campaign to raise awareness and gain student support. We called on students to attend a rally on campus in support of the unionization of 03 workers, and recruited students to walk 03 workers from the dining commons to the voting locations where they would be given the chance to vote in favor or against their unionization. The majority of 03s voted in favor of a union. They now have their own union section (a “local”) and will negotiate a contract however they see fit.
What are you most excited for at the Jobs with Justice national conference?
I am looking forward to connecting with student organizers from all over the country. I am very excited to exchange stories with other social justice advocates, and hear about their successes, struggles, hopes, and goals. The experiences I have had with my activist communities in Massachusetts have been some of the most inspiring, enlightening, and empowering of my student career, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to expand and strengthen this network.
You can still register for the Student Labor Pre-Conference and Jobs with Justice National Conference here!
