University Chronicle Extras:
Movies
|
Rate a Pic
|
Horoscopes
|
Career
|
Scholarships
|
Travel
|
GradZone
News
Briefly
Calendar of Events
Commentary
Sports
Diversions
World News
Classifieds
Login
Letter Submission
Search
Archive
Publishing Policy
Mail Subscriptions
St. Cloud State University
College Publisher
Home
>
Commentary
Students should continue to discuss worker’s union
Published:
Thursday, November 14, 2002
Tomoo Inoue, SCSU Student Government Campus Affairs Committee chair, is making two different proposals for a student worker’s union on campus.
In the first, the union would represent employees who work directly for the university, such as lab assistants and tutors.
In the second proposal, the union would represent not only those students who work directly for the university but also those students who work for third parties on campus, such as Aramark.
The reason unions are formed is so workers have a forum for the discussion of their occupational concerns. Student workers, like any employees of institutions, require this same kind of forum.
In addition to using a union as an organ for change, students can better prepare for life after college and the types of concerns and conflicts they will encounter there.
If SCSU students are able to form a worker’s union, it would not only impact the student population here, but would also set a precedent for other universities locally and nationally, as it would be the only university with an undergraduate student’s union.
Forming a union is also another way students can ensure they are treated fairly, that their working conditions are safe and comfortable and their wages are appropriate.
However, before students hurry to create a union, they should establish what purpose this union is to serve.
Undoubtedly, a student union will be different than other types of unions and its goals should be firmly established before action is taken.
Students should also be sure a union is the best way to have their concerns addressed. The university already has a myriad of clubs, organizations and services geared to helping students in a variety of ways.
If there is already a venue for addressing certain problems, it would be best to deal with those problems through that venue, and work on the improvement of said venue rather than reinventing the wheel.
