The fight for worker’s rights in the United States has been long and arduous. Workers at Syracuse University are still fighting for improvements, and doing so as members of SEIU 200United. This fight dates back to the 1800s, and even back to the founding of Syracuse University.
SU founding
1870
8hours Fight
1890s
SEIU founded
1921
1870
Syracuse University was founded. The University has since shaped the city of Syracuse in profound ways. While it often feels like a city on a hill, Syracuse University and those who work at it exist in the context of the world around them.
1970s
Almost 30 years later, facilities, libraries and grounds workers at Syracuse University, fought for their union. This union has been fighting ever since they were first formed to improve hours, wages and conditions for facilities, grounds and library workers at Syracuse University.
April 2023
Graduate employees win their Union April 2023, 728-36, this represented a 95% yes vote and a historic 70% turnout, the highest of any Graduate Union Election at that time.
Wagner Act
1935
Facilities form Union
1970s
SEIU strikes
1980, 1998
SGEU Wins Union
2023
~1860-1900
The labor movement in the United States has always faced an uphill battle against extremely powerful employers, who want to extract as much work from their employees as possible. In the late 1800s, and the industrialization of society, everyone in society, including children, were forced to work from 10 to 16 hour days. In response, workers began to fight back. One of the first victories was in 1867 in Illinois where workers through strikes and collective action won an 8 hour day law. This inspired further actions across the United States to fight for limited work days. While there acts of Congress in 1868 for federal employees, these limitations were not always enforced and societally did not protect every worker. As a result, workers continued fighting.
1998
Over 700 SEIU Members went on strike. This was over the use of non-union workers, which would degrade benefits and conditions for all workers on campus. Despite the University’s claims that this would not cost Union Workers Jobs, the evidence had been entirely to the contrary.
Organizing following this strike was rather quiet at Syracuse University until the 2020s, and an explosion of new organizing ensued.
January 2024
SGEU Rally for a Fair Contract + Syracuse University Staff Union go public
In January of 2024, Graduate Workers held a rally to fight for a fair first contract and Syracuse University Staff Union went public with their campaign for a union. They did this in the midst of heavy snow, and showed the power of workers across campus coming together.
Hourly Students Win
2024
SUSU Wins
2024
1935
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) was passed. In the words of its championing Senator, Robert F. Wagner, the aim of the act was to enshrine “the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection.” Without this act, many of the rights workers now take for granted would not exist. The right to form unions, and to make employers negotiate with those unions did not exist prior to this act.
March 2023
March for Recognition - On February 8th, Graduate Employees and community allies marched and demanded voluntary recognition. This was after the culmination of decades of organizing, and many previous attempts to unionize by Graduate Workers. After which they were able to win a fair process to form a union via a union election agreement.
march 2024
In March, Graduate Workers rallied outside of negotiations to insist on a fair wage and better healthcare that they all deserve. They ultimately ratified their contract later that month.
Hourly Student Workers, Staff, Faculty, Custodial, Food Service, and Grads Rally for Unions for All.
Since Graduate workers won their union, workers across campus also began fighting for a fair process to form their union. At this rally, the workers who were fighting for their union and existing union members came together to show that they’d fight for every worker on campus to have a union.
Hourly Student Workers win Their Union - April 2024
After almost 2 years of organizing, over 1,000 hourly student workers won their union with a 99% yes vote.
Syracuse University Staff win their Union - June 2024
After a year of organizing, and a hard prolonged boss fight, staff at Syracuse University, won their union by a margin of
Hourly Workers Ratify their contract - October 2025
Hourly workers ratified a contract that won them a meaningful raise, workplace protections and protections against harassment and bullying