Chatham Student Activism Blog

Last semester the student coalition focused on diversity, and we had some degree of victory at the end of the semester, though the fight is not over. We will have to wait and see what this diversity committee is like and plans to accomplish. I anticipate us pushing the university further.

This semester has started out on a different path. A few students were contacted by a union organizer to talk about union organizing at Chatham. There is a three part issue, one part being the skilled trade workers desire to switch unions. The trade workers are currently represented by a union that doesn’t specialize in skilled labor. There are nine skilled trades workers employed by Chatham. Every single one of them would like to go to a union that specializes in representing skilled laborers. They have been trying to make the switch for five years.

There are two ways that the switch could be carried out. The easiest way would be for Chatham University to recognize the wishes of the workers and allow the workers to switch. The second way to make the switch would be for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to come in and hold an election among the nine workers. This process could take up to a year, during which, the workers would not be covered under any union and could lose their jobs.  The university is using democratic rhetoric about how the election is the only democratic way to solve this dispute.

Today, the workers and union organizers organized an action that several students attended to show solidarity with the workers and to witness the way in which administrators are interacting with the workers. In advance, the workers all signed cards that said they wanted to switch unions.  After their shift ended they all marched into a meeting, followed by the students. There were three Chatham administrators there: Frank Greco, Robert DuBray and Dawn. As soon as Greco saw the students enter the room he packed up all of his belongings. The worker spokesperson explained that all of the trade workers were present (except for one guy who had a death in the family) and wanted to switch unions. He put the cards on the table in front of Greco.
There were some heated exchanges where Greco said it was “wrong” to involve students. He said that the only democratic way to resolve the issue was to bring in the government for a vote. The union organizers asked Greco why he was refusing to budge, when other colleges and universities in the area had allowed their workers to switch unions when it was clear that the workers wanted to do so. Greco responded by saying, “We’re not every other university in Pittsburgh.” He proceeded to pick up his stuff and walk out of the room, telling DuBray and Dawn to follow. DuBray and Dawn looked extremely distraught, they were slow to collect their belongings and exit the room. Perhaps they secretly sympathize with the workers, or they were just caught completely off guard and were slow to act.

I’m 100% confidant that the workers are not being coerced for reasons that probably shouldn’t be made public at this point.

I’m constantly torn between advertising Chatham as a progressive institution where radical students will feel comfortable (I want more activists to come to school here), and exposing the insane stuff that Chatham does to oppress its students, faculty and staff. In a way, witnessing events like what happened today, radicalizes the student population. Administrators are feeding the very activism they wish to squash.