The union representing dining service workers at Grinnell College in Iowa has announced a campaign to expand their reach to all 1200 student workers on campus.

Cory McCartan is President of the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers:

[Cory McCartan]: “We really saw the union working well for Student Workers in food service and thought it was time to bring those benefits to the rest of campus.  There’s just no real way for workers collectively to have a say in anything that goes on at work.  Wages and hours are set unilaterally.  We think it’s really important to provide that voice, and we think unions are the best way to do that.”

Since the union’s founding in 2015 they have negotiated two contracts covering all food service workers on the campus.  The union has challenged the university to remain neutral throughout the process:

[Cory McCartan]:  “In the past they’ve actually stayed pretty neutral.  So, we’re hopeful and optimistic that this time around they’ll take that approach and choose democracy over anti-union tactics like we see at Harvard and Yale.  But we’re prepared for anything and we think we have strong support from the student body.”

While graduate student organizing campaigns often seek to affiliate with established international unions, Grinnell’s union, on a campus with no graduate students, is independent:

[Cory McCartan]:  “We’re entirely student-run, student-staffed.  We rely on voluntary dues.  And, while unorthodox, it’s really allowed us to let students have a voice and really control everything from bargaining to the day-to-day operations of the union.   I think it’s been really successful, and I’m hopeful it’ll continue to be that way.”