Updated 2:17 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
Temple’s resident assistants, peer mentors and residence hall association executive board members sent a petition to President Richard Englert and the Board of Trustees to recognize the Temple Union of Resident Assistants Monday.
The union, formed within the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 153, asked Temple to recognize the work of their student workers. Out of the 132 represented student workers, 78% signed the petition.
“We deeply value the contributions of these students, and we are committed to providing them with outstanding leadership opportunities and learning experiences,” the university wrote in a statement to The Temple News. “We are presently reviewing their request.”
The university does not allow the RAs and PMs to work more than 10 and 15 hours per week respectively outside of Residential Life during their first year, limiting their options for other jobs or volunteer work. Returning RAs and PMs are permitted to work 15 or 20 hours per week outside of Residential Life. The letter wrote that RAs and PMs “end up burning out” trying to provide a good community to their students.
The letter also highlighted the workers’ dissatisfaction with their compensation. They are not directly compensated by the university, but instead receive a $200 discount to their tuition, free housing and an unlimited meal plan.
“Being an RA and building connections with residents is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in college,” wrote Mario Rodriguez Canuto, a senior media studies and production major, in the press release. “However, those good moments are not enough to make up for all the stress and burnout that we often go through. Unionizing is an important step to get more support and proper compensation for all the work that RAs do so that we can also offer better support to our residents.”
Other student workers have tried to unionize on campus for years but have been unable to garner the necessary support. In 2023, Temple University Undergraduate Workers Organizing Committee worked to gain university recognition. In order to unionize, they needed 30% of students from each department to sign a union card, but were unable to fulfill the requirement.
Drexel University’s Resident Assistants unionized with the OPEIU Local 153 this year April 11. University of Pennsylvania’s Resident Advisors unionized September 2023 and ratified their first contract on June 10. Temple would join a total list of 11 other universities’ resident assistants that have unionized with OPEIU Local 153 since 2022.
“By unionizing, the Temple Union of Resident Assistants hopes to secure fair compensation, job security, and better treatment for current and future Resident Assistants, Peer Mentors, and members of the Executive Board of the Residence Hall Association at Temple University,” TURA wrote.
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