Last month Smith College, which is a Massachusetts private liberal arts college for women, saw its dining workers near-unanimously unionize. This month its librarians are following suit: they've formed the Smith College Libraries Workers Union (SCLWU) with OPEIU and are—although unlikely to receive it—seeking voluntary recognition from the college.
According to SCLWU, key issues they're facing currently are "inadequate compensation, insufficient training, unclear decision-making processes, not enough full-time exempt (FTE) positions, lack of worker agency, job creep, and limited growth opportunities." They further note that the pandemic severely disrupted the libraries on campus and threw the staffing situation into chaos. Some positions have seen high turnover, others have not been filled at all—and the cumulative effect is severe on the libraries and their ability to function. In unionizing, they propose that the college address these issues through "cost of living (COLA) adjustments and better pay, clear job descriptions, a grievance and arbitration system, compensation for those taking on extra job duties created by vacancies, clear promotion and growth pathways, and a collective voice in their workplace."