Sacramento State student assistants and employees celebrate the official vote for the undergraduate student assistants to unionize.
Ashley A. Smith/EdSource
Student assistants and workers in the California State University system announced today that they had voted in favor of unionizing.
The students across the 23 campuses voted in favor of organizing one of the country’s largest student worker organizations in the country so they could fight for better pay, working conditions, sick and paid leave, and more work hours.
Students overwhelmingly voted 7,050 yes, 202 no in favor of joining the CSU Employees Union (CSUEU).
“This is for all of us and for all of our futures,” said Cameron Macedonio, a student assistant at CSU Fullerton. “Student assistants were increasingly fed up with the CSU administratin’s treatment of us. They undervalue us. On one hand, they act as if we’re dispensable, but on the other hand, they expect us to do the work of full-time staff but for minimum wages and no benefits.”
Student assistants often work for minimum wage, are limited to 20 hours or less a week, and don’t receive sick or paid leave.
