Issue Two
A Reason to Believe
With the rise of tech layoffs in Silicon Valley and the increasing cost of essential goods, we have all become acutely aware of the worsening material conditions of workers across the country. The issues pertaining to student workers, especially with regards to compensation, job security, and other working conditions, are not separate from these struggles. As these problems are a symptom of the system, we believe the natural solution is to advocate for ourselves and our fellow workers by organizing and forming a labor union. This action guarantees student workers a legitimate opportunity to improve working conditions in the present and future. Our confidence in organizing and collaborating to create meaningful change has only grown stronger in the last year.
Since December 2024, members of the organizing committee have collaborated with student workers in advocating for urgent changes to the wage schedule at Gavilan College. Through a multi-stage negotiation process, shared governance, and good faith by Gavilan administration; we won an approximate 17% raise for ALL student workers. This also included a one-time payment for all active workers over the Spring semester. We believe that this is just the beginning of the changing relationship between student workers and community colleges. This serves as a great example of the power in organized efforts to improve conditions for all.
Organizing a union will provide a systemic solution to a systemic issue. We believe the only way to effectively create lasting change is to build this organization of accountability and advocacy. All student workers deserve dignified compensation, job security, and a say in policy revolving their jobs.
We believe we will create the blueprint for student workers across the community college system to unionize. We believe that Student Work is Real Work!
– Gavilan Student Workers Union Organizing Committee
Issue One
Why Are We Here?
The Gavilan Student Workers Union stands, first and foremost, in solidarity with all
student workers on a human level. We are driven by the compassion we all share for our fellow workers.
Gavilan College is a special place, due mainly to all of our individual and collaborative efforts. By making us feel as though our voices matter as students, Gavilan has empowered us, and because of this, we feel that we need to establish a permanent system of accountability and advocacy for the student workers.
We love our jobs on campus – it is incredibly fulfilling to be in positions that help our peers succeed – and while we are constantly told that we are vital to the academic process, we don’t feel that in our compensation. The highest possible wage as a student worker still falls below the California fast-food worker minimum wage of $20 an hour. We do not feel this is fair, especially given that many student workers have to work multiple jobs just to have their basic needs met. This is an injustice, especially when considering that we are made up of mostly full-time students.
Being united as student workers will not only allow us to stand together to fight for
important changes, such as proper wages – it will provide an added layer of job protection for all of us. No student worker should have to deal with grievances on their own, and GSWU will guarantee that we have a dedicated team to assist with these issues. As students, we can use our voices to advocate for change, as we have done for free student worker parking and increasing wages, but without a union, these wages will become stagnant, and the policies will become subject to change. The union will have contract negotiations to gain guarantees and keep up with the needs of student workers. Systemic issues can only be addressed through systemic change, and our solution is a union!
– Gavilan Student Workers Union Organizing Committee
STUDENT WORK IS REAL WORK!