FAQs on the Resident Assistant (RA) Union

The BU ResLife RA union includes all Graduate Resident Assistants (GRAs), Resident Assistants (RAs), and Graduate Housing Assistants (GHAs).

Boston University’s negotiations team, made up of University staff from Labor Relations, Residence Life, and the Dean of Students Office, has met with the BU ResLife G/R/GHA union for 15 sessions since December 2023. The most recent bargaining session was August 5, 2024. Proposals were first presented to the University by the union on December 15, 2023.

Over the summer, June-August 2024, the University met with the union at four bargaining sessions.

Following the August 5, bargaining session, the union requested a mediator for our next bargaining session. The University accepted this request. The next bargaining session, with a mediator, is scheduled for September 5. This is the date and time that worked for all three parties.

On Thursday, August 29, the union presented the University with seven articles. At present, the University is awaiting response from the union on 10 articles.

The University intends to respond to the outstanding articles that we have been reviewing at the September 5 session.

Collective bargaining agreements are long and frequently complex documents that often contain 30 or more articles. Because all the language in a first contract is new, it is common for the bargaining process to take over 400 days. However, the University believes that it continues to make valuable offers to the union that will, hopefully, expedite the typically lengthy process.

Yes. The University believes that all are best served by reaching an agreement, and that has been our goal from the very beginning.

The University has responded to the bargaining units proposals by offering fair compensation and improvements to working conditions, including but not limited to:

• The cost of housing during the period of employment.
• Meal plans for all G/R/GHAs (currently, meals are only provided to G/R/GHAs in dormitory-style accommodations).
• A $1,000 stipend per semester for all G/R/GHAs, with an additional $500 per semester for GRAs with supervisory responsibilities.
• A new grievance and third-party arbitration provision to provide a formal process for employees to resolve workplace issues
• Access to optional training for NARCAN and CPR administration, free of charge to all members of the bargaining unit.
• Availability of KN95 masks in Residence Life offices for student workers

It is common for negotiations involving other administrative functions of the job (performance evaluations, disciplinary measures, etc) to go through several rounds of negotiation. These are matters that require thoughtful deliberation and counter proposals, and we are actively engaging in these negotiations.

The goal of negotiation is to reach a fair agreement that balances the needs of BU students and the recognition that the University has to serve an entire community – this will require compromises from BU ResLife G/R/GHA union and from the University. While we acknowledge we are not there yet, we believe we are on course to reach an agreement that will better support GRAs, RAs, and GHAs, who are important contributors to the BU community.

The BU ResLife G/R/GHA union went on strike in the spring, which ran from April 12 to 15, 2024.

The second strike started Saturday, August 31. It is not clear how long this strike will last. The decision to go on strike is the union’s and its members, so we do not have any further information beyond what we have been told by their organizers.

No. The decision about whether to strike is a personal decision, and some GRAs, RAs, and GHAs may choose to continue work throughout the strike, which is protected activity under the National Labor Relations Act.

All students at Boston University have the right to an environment free of harassment and this applies to your role as a G/R/GHA. The University takes these allegations seriously, and requests that anyone experiencing harassment contact the Boston University Police Department immediately, at 617-353-2121.

No. However, a striking employee who engages in unlawful strike activity (such as blocking access, impeding or obstructing the ability for staff to respond to emergency calls or engaging in violent or threatening behavior) can be disciplined or even dismissed from the University, depending on the conduct and its severity.

On September 5, 2024, the Dean of Students announced that any employee withholding labor will be responsible for charges associated with their room and board benefit for the duration of the work stoppage. Employees were sent a required form to attest to their working status, which supervisors will verify.

Employees are only entitled to compensation if they fulfill the responsibilities outlined in the 2024-2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). If employees withhold their labor during the strike, they are not entitled to this compensation.

You will not be asked to vacate your on-campus housing assignment and will retain a meal plan if one is provided, but you will be charged a daily fee equivalent to the value of the housing assignment and meal plan. Stipends will also be withheld. Consult the Room and Board Calculator to determine the amount per day you will be assessed based on your current housing assignment.

Compensation is processed as a scholarship on your student account. The disbursement of this scholarship will be held until the strike is over, or when the semester ends, whichever comes first. The scholarship would then be disbursed at an adjusted rate to account for the days you did not work. The balance due will be reflected on your student account, and a payment due date will be posted.

Liberty Collom (lcollom@bu.edu) in Financial Assistance is available to consult with you on options for settling this bill. Please be in contact with Liberty directly to understand how withholding labor will impact your personal circumstances.

We remain dedicated to our students and their continued success at BU. We understand that members of the student staff have found G/R/GHA unionization and talk about the strike to be stressful.