Resident Adviser Unionization FAQs

UnionizationFAQs

Resident Adviser Unionization

Bucknell’s Residential Advisers (RAs) are valued student leaders who have petitioned to form a union. Because the formation of a union would have binding legal consequences, the University advises all RAs to carefully review all available information prior to casting their vote on whether to unionize, and reminds them that each student has the freedom to make their own decision.

What is Bucknell’s position on the unionization of RAs?

Bucknell values the important contributions that RAs make to the residential education program. First and foremost, however, Bucknell RAs are Bucknell students. The RA program enhances the student experience by providing opportunities for RAs to mature as leaders while developing skills in mediation, relationship building and project management. Establishing an RA union would change this student-focused experience to one of “employment” subject to contract terms and union oversight. A union would alter Bucknell’s relationship with RAs in a way that Bucknell does not believe will be positive for the RAs or the RA program. Bucknell does not view this shift as consistent with the objectives of the Bucknell academic program or the individual interests of the RAs.

Bucknell is further concerned about the impact of the labor union on individual students. A favorable vote for the union is expected to require all RAs to be dues-paying members of OPEIU. The only option for students who object to the union or its positions will be to resign from their position as an RA, which could have significant financial consequences for some.

Additionally, the only way students could obtain the free housing provided through the RA program would be to agree to union membership and the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The decision made by RAs employed on the day of the vote will impact not only their experience, but also the experience of future students who have not even applied to Bucknell yet. Those future students may be put in the position of deciding whether to accept the benefit of free housing and union membership or finding other ways to offset the cost of housing.

Finally, if the RAs approve the union, Bucknell will meet the obligation to engage in good faith negotiations toward a collective bargaining agreement. However, if Bucknell and the RAs have a significant disagreement about proposed terms and conditions of employment that cannot be resolved, a strike by the RAs may be possible. In the case of a strike, Bucknell would not be obligated to finance the strike by continuing to “pay” striking RAs.

Bucknell encourages all students to exercise their right to vote. Bucknell will fully support each individual RA’s voluntary choice in an election, and will honor the democratic process and the election results. Regardless of the election outcome, Bucknell greatly values its RAs and will continue to support them both as students and as residential community leaders.

Petition for representation

Voting

RAs are not required to vote, but Bucknell strongly encourages all eligible individuals to vote.
Union representation is determined by a majority of votes cast. RAs who choose not to vote will not have their voices heard, potentially allowing a minority opinion to prevail. We urge all RAs to take advantage of this opportunity, which will shape the role of RAs at Bucknell now and for years to come.

Impact of unionization

If a majority of the RAs vote to unionize in the NLRB-certified election on April 4, OPEIU would then be considered the exclusive collective bargaining representative for the RAs regarding the terms and conditions for students in the bargaining unit. Bucknell would no longer legally be able to work directly with the RAs as a group or with individuals with respect to wages, hours, schedule changes, time off, and other terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would need to be taken up as part of collective bargaining with the union. Then a negotiation process would begin in an effort to agree upon a collective bargaining agreement or contract.
If the RAs vote in favor of unionizing, Bucknell will engage in good-faith bargaining over the terms and conditions of employment for RAs. Based on the experiences of other schools, the collective bargaining process could take nine to 12 months.
Because bargaining involves negotiations between two parties, there is no guarantee that the formation of a union would lead to this outcome. It is important to note that any changes that would affect the work of RAs, including simple changes such as adjustments to work schedules, would need to be negotiated in good faith with Bucknell if the union is approved. These bargaining sessions could take a significant amount of time.
Bucknell encourages all RAs to be fully informed about the impact of unionizing before signing documents with legal obligations.
Generally, no. Once a collective bargaining agreement is in place, Bucknell will likely not be able to deviate from the agreement or make exceptions to it in order to accommodate individual student needs, unless the union concurs. A collective bargaining agreement will regulate all future terms of employment and typically results in a standard set of rules and regulations with limited flexibility for specific or individual circumstances.

Information about unions and elections

A union is a legal entity that represents a group of workers, often in a trade or profession, which has been recognized by their employer or certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as the exclusive bargaining representative of all workers in the group. A union then seeks to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement on behalf of the dues-paying workers, detailing their terms and conditions of employment.

Information about Resident Advisers

RAs hold live-in student leadership positions and serve as valued members of the Residential Life team. The primary responsibility of an RA is to build a residential community that engages and connects students, and encourages academic success and personal development.
RAs are responsible for developing community among their residents via social and educational programming; contributing to the efficient operation of the residence hall via administration; and ensuring the safety of residents and the security of the residence hall via crisis management and policy enforcement.
LRAs are experienced RAs who support the RAs in their roles. LRAs have additional responsibilities to assist the Community Directors as well.

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