Free Online Summit with Higher Education Labor United

In January, our union’s executive board endorsed the organization Higher Education Labor United, a national committee of unions representing workers — staff, student workers, faculty and others — colleges and universities across the country. HELU’s vision platform includes four main commitments:

1.     Nationwide action for federal government intervention

2.     Nationwide action to realign our campuses

3.     Action steps toward commitments one and two

4.     A unified national movement

Some of HELU’s specific goals are organizing to win the College for All Plan, providing pay equity and regular raises for all campus workers and ensuring that institutions of higher education honor workers’ rights to organize. You can read more about the specifics of their vision platform here.

HELU will be hosting its first winter summit, “Confronting the Crisis in Higher Education,” from Wednesday, Feb. 23, through Sunday, Feb. 27. Unions from all over the country will meet to talk about the challenges facing higher education and how to organize in response. There will be sessions on political organizing, building alliances between unions, union policy and social justice within the labor movement. Featured speakers include Jane McAlevey and Naomi Klein. The full agenda can be found here.

Anyone in the higher-education labor community — that means any Local 328 member — is invited to attend, free of charge! You can register for the virtual summit here.

If you are interested in learning more about HELU and getting involved as a member of Local 328, please contact TJ Acena at diversity@local328.org.