From graduate student workers to local baristas, an unprecedented wave of campus labor organization continued across the Penn community in 2024.
The past year saw the formation of three new campus unions, one historic union contract ratification, and increased momentum in negotiations between the University and campus labor groups. Penn has also faced allegations of union-busting tactics and bad-faith negotiations with unionized campus workers.
The Daily Pennsylvanian compiled a timeline of labor organization efforts on and around campus over the last year.
Jan. 28 — Starbucks employees at the 39th and Walnut streets location near Penn voted to unionize, joining the 34th and Walnut streets and Penn Medicine locations as members of Starbucks Workers United.
March 12 — Graduate Employees Together — University of Pennsylvania, a group of graduate student workers, released a survey to determine the top priorities for future negotiations with the University.
March 25 — United RAs at Penn, a group of resident advisors and graduate resident advisors, filed a bargaining complaint against the University alleging “bad faith” negotiations as they worked toward their first contract.
April 11 — Penn abruptly postponed GET-UP’s election, which had been scheduled for April 16-17. The election was rescheduled for the first week of May, but the postponement sparked outrage among union members.
May 3 — Penn’s graduate student workers officially voted to unionize by an overwhelming majority, making GET-UP — representing over 3,700 workers — the largest union at Penn in recent memory.
May 16 — Penn’s RA union held a rally in response to alleged “bad faith” negotiations with Penn, including the University cutting their final scheduled day of negotiations of the semester short and refusing to accept the group’s counterproposals during bargaining.
June 11 — United RAs at Penn unanimously ratified their first contract, making it one of the first RA union contracts in the country.
July 17 — After filing a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board in June, the Penn Libraries staff, known as Penn Libraries United, negotiated an agreement with the University and set a date for their unionization election.
Aug. 15 — United RAs at Penn accused the University of using union-busting tactics after filing an Unfair Labor Practice Charge with the NLRB. The union alleged that Penn was suppressing the ability of the newly unionized GRAs to seek other on-campus employment, thus violating the union contract, and created a petition addressed to the University in response.
Aug. 30 — University of Pennsylvania Health System residents and fellows attempted to deliver a petition addressed to Penn Medicine CEO Kevin Mahoney demanding an effort to finalize a union contract after a year of negotiations, but no representatives were present to receive the petition.
Sept. 19 — Members of several Penn-affiliated unions accused the administration of union-busting tactics, telling the DP that Penn has used scare language, reduced financial aid awards, and made it difficult to schedule bargaining sessions.
Sept. 24 — Penn Medicine residents and fellows began a ratification vote for their first contract. The vote passed on Sept. 30, making them the first doctors in Pennsylvania to secure a union contract.
Oct. 17 — GET-UP began bargaining with the University after ratifying their initial bargaining demands. The union has held five bargaining sessions so far.
Oct. 30 — Roughly 90 Penn Libraries staff members officially voted to unionize after a monthslong delay in counting ballots. The unionization election first took place in August.
Dec. 2 — Employees at the Saxbys location at 40th and Locust streets began a unionization effort, looking to achieve better wages and more stable schedules and hours.
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