URCHA Rallies for Fair Contract
Photo courtesy of Maggie Feinberg ‘28
On October 4 at 3:00pm, the Union of Reed College Housing Advisors (URCHA) held a rally to make it clear to Reed administration that after nearly a year of contract negotiations with no agreement in sight, they were still without a compensation plan that fairly supports all HAs. The rally was a way to demonstrate the strong backing they have from the Reed community, and to share with them details of what has been going on.
Max Costigan ‘25, a senior housing advisor, opened the rally with a speech, urging attendees to maintain a sense of unity and strength. They first outlined demands from last year’s unionization, which centered around issues with additional HA responsibilities being added, a lack of boundaries between being a student worker and being a “student and being a worker,” and insufficient compensation for the work that HA’s do.
Costigan went on to describe their experience of advocating for a union, beginning two years ago during their sophomore year when they first started raising questions about the fairness of their outlined working guidelines. "We’re asking for a contract that supports us, one that increases our compensation properly, and ensures that an increase in work duties results in an increase in pay. And yet, this progressive institution that we all go to hasn’t offered us that fair contract," Costigan emphasized. “I want to make sure that I leave Reed a better place than I came, and I want my fellow HAs and future HAs to be in a financially and academically secure place so they can bolster their own communities and have the bandwidth to do their jobs better.”
Costigan then spoke about the long negotiation period: from October of last year to February of this year. Despite the lengthy process, the house advisors have been committed to their cause, even launching a letter-writing campaign where supporters can write letters to administration, in support of HAs.
Graham Trainer, President of the Oregon AFL-CIO, then took the mic to express support for the HAs. “Oregon is union strong,” Trainer exclaimed. "Housing advisors are an essential component to campus life… No matter what any university boss has to say, you are workers and you deserve a damn union contract."
Gigi Dukes ‘26, a junior housing advisor, was next to come on stage. They began, posing a question to the audience: "I have asked you plenty and simply to be paid for the job I’m doing for you, and we got a union. So tell me, why am I here again asking for a contract that centers on accountability that we do not yet have?" Dukes described the intense workload of being a HA and balancing schoolwork with the many demands of the job. In speaking about being a freshman HA in particular, they talked about the need for engaging in deep conversation with residents, as well as many administrative tasks. "I’m on a full course load right now, four classes and two jobs. Do I sound tired? Do I sound angry? Good." Dukes went on to talk about the unfairness of the position, given that HAs receive a stipend for room and board in order to compensate for the cost, but this is before tax is calculated on the stipend. The stipend ends up being less than the actual cost of room and board. Because of this, many HAs have been forced to take on multiple jobs to keep themselves afloat financially.
Following this testimony, Karyn Morrison, Chief Negotiator from URCHA’s local, OPEIU Local 11, spoke about how the HA unionization process has been slower than expected, but progress has been made. According to her, the only things left to solve involve schedule changes and compensation. Morrison emphasized that if Reed decided to change student work schedules, then they must first speak to the union in advance– which includes adding extra rounds. She then went on to address the debate about HA compensation, explaining that the college has been offering a stipend of $17,000 to HAs, and the union is pushing back on them to have an extra $2,876 per HA. On the reality that workers have to choose between pay, meals, and lodging, Morrison responded, “You should be getting all three of those things.”
Sterling Kennedy ‘26, a junior HA, then recalled their own experiences in the HA program, in which they witnessed difficulties endured by many of their friends and coworkers in the year prior. He spoke on the mental strain that his friends, HAs at the time, faced, especially after a wave of firings left the department with few workers. Despite these issues, Sterling is still committed to becoming an HA, fueled by the desire to foster a strong and welcoming community for incoming freshmen. Kennedy concluded their attestation, focusing on concerns about the union's push for fair compensation benefiting students with greater financial need. “There were expressed concerns that this contract…this fair compensation, would be more affecting students with more financial need. I would like to come here and say that I am a student with less financial need. I do not feel that this fair payment advantages me any less than a student with more financial needs than me.” He concluded by underlining the importance for HAs to be paid for what their worth and reminded the crowd that Reed Students deserve the right compensation for the amount of work they put into the position.
Union negotiations are still ongoing, so look out for updates on contract changes and more in future editions of the Quest.