United Campus Workers Rally at University of Louisville and Virginia Tech, Form New Union at Jacksonville State

Members of the United Campus Workers-CWA at the University of Louisville and Virginia Tech “extended Labor Day” with rallies on Tuesday to build support for their efforts to win fair compensation and a democratic voice on the job.

In Louisville, workers highlighted their “Cardinal Workers for Cardinal Values” platform that calls for an across-the-board, immediate 10% cost of living increase and a $25 hour minimum by 2025. They are also pushing for new structures that would give them a seat at the table for conversations that affect them.

At Virginia Tech, workers officially announced their affiliation with UCW-VA (CWA Local 2265) at the same time that members of the Virginia Tech Graduate Labor Union announced the formation of their union. The two groups rallied together to call for a better work environment and true equity throughout the university. “We believe every campus worker at Virginia Tech deserves a democratic voice, respect, job security, safety, and fair compensation,” the workers said in a statement. “We want every single Virginia Tech student to know that participating in collective action to advocate for yourself and others is one of the proudest traditions we have here at Virginia Tech.”

In Alabama, workers at Jacksonville State University joined active chapters at the University of Alabama and Auburn University to become the third UCW-CWA Local 3965 chapter in the state. They hope to build on campaigns waged by UCW chapters at universities across the South that have won a $15 minimum wage for campus workers, base pay raises for lecturers and academic advisors, and the elimination of graduate student fees.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.