Massachusetts labor commission rules RAs may organize on campus

he University's resident assistants (RAs) have a legal right to unionize, the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission ruled Jan. 18.

     The ruling could pave the way for the first RA union in the U.S., according to a press release from the Graduate Employees Organization. GEO is affiliated with the United Auto Workers Local 2322, the group that is attempting to organize the RAs.

     In March and April, the majority of RAs signed petitions saying they wanted to join UAW Local 2322, according to the release.

     With the exception of a few graduate students working in the graduate residence halls, RAs are undergraduate students.

     "The University is disappointed [in the ruling]," said Susan Pearson, associate provost for Development and Faculty Relations. "The administration is currently reviewing the ruling and will determine how to proceed once the review is complete."

     More than 350 students work as RAs on campus, where they provide peer counseling and guidance, educational programming, and crisis intervention to approximately 11,000 on-campus residents.