Georgetown RAs win union election 79-3!
In a decisive 79-3 (96%) vote, Georgetown University’s Resident Assistants (RAs) voted today to unionize with OPEIU Local 153. This announcement comes just twenty-five days after the Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalition announced their intent to form a union.
“Today's victory marks an important moment on our campus. I am proud of our accomplishment, and I look forward to working with Georgetown University in the coming weeks and months on a contract that serves the interest of all RAs!”
- Sam Lovell, Georgetown University Resident Assistant
“I’m not surprised by the election results — RAs have never lacked community or the will to fight for each other. For the first time during my time as an RA, I am incredibly hopeful, and I look forward to a future in which incoming RAs have no memory of even the circumstances that brought us here.”
- Izzy Wagener, Georgetown University Resident Assistant
“Today, Georgetown RAs have made history as the first undergraduate union at Georgetown and the first RA Union in Washington D.C. I am confident that this victory is a turning point for the working conditions of current and future RAs. We all look forward to negotiating our contract and securing mechanisms that ensure supervisor accountability, equitable pay, and mental health support for all RAs”
- Ulises Olea Tapia, Georgetown University Resident Assistant
“This election just affirmed what we all knew already. I am looking forward to a future where the experience of RAs does not solely hinge on their supervisors or their experiences with Residential Living, so that all of us can have an equitable experience. I am proud of us for being a part of this historic moment!”
- Miranda Xiong, Georgetown University Resident Assistant
Fairer pay, greater accountability, and better working conditions fueled the RAs’ effort to unionize. They look forward to making progress on these goals as they begin negotiations with the University in the coming weeks and months.
“I am thankful for the solidarity from our peers; it was an impressive collaborative effort that got us here. I look forward to taking the next steps towards a fair contract and a more equitable and inclusive RA experience!”
- Becca Haley, Georgetown University Resident Assistant
Georgetown’s 103 Resident Assistants are the eleventh group of RAs to unionize with OPEIU Local 153 since 2022, including RAs at Wesleyan, Barnard, Fordham, UPenn, Tufts, Rensselaer Polytechnic, Swarthmore, Emerson, Bucknell, and Drexel. These are the first undergraduate student workers to unionize not only at Georgetown University, but also in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.
“Today these workers made history in the fight for equity and voice for student workers at Georgetown. This vote sent a clear signal to Georgetown that they need to listen to their employees and seek their input through the collective bargaining process. We look forward to them joining our growing ranks of young workers seeking transformative change,” said Scott Williams, Organizer with OPEIU Local 153.