Bringing the heat: Santa Clara University teaching faculty and allies rally in high spirits despite high temps
On Wednesday, September 30, more than 100 Santa Clara University (SCU) teaching faculty, tenure-stream colleagues, students, elected officials, fellow union members, and community allies rallied on campus, undeterred by the heat, in a powerful show of solidarity with teaching faculty and the time, expertise, and dedication they bring to their students.
With little progress at the bargaining table on the union’s top priorities, SEIU 1021 members and their allies listened to special guest speakers, laughed, cheered, and marched together to demand that SCU leadership invest in the people who contribute so much to the university’s reputation.
“What a wonderful rally! I was especially moved by the solidarity of other labor organizers. The words of SEIU 2007 chief steward Ray Manchaca reminding us that ‘it takes a fight, but if we stick together, we win’ were exactly the motivation we needed,” said SEIU 1021 SCU Chapter Treasurer Madeline Cronin, who works as a teaching professor for the University.
“As the administration resists investing in our teaching faculty, it was so heartening to see our students show up for us, and our union members show up for ourselves! We reminded each other that we are what make this university run. The feeling of solidarity, playfulness, and hope has stayed with me ever since,”said SEIU 1021 Shop Steward Natalie Linnell, who also works as a teaching professor for the Univesrity.
SCU teaching faculty deserve respect, fair compensation, transparency, and a fair contract.
Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens also spoke,”This university is one of the crown jewels of our city. We are not simply asking about a paycheck. We are asking what they want the future of this university to look like. The future that invests in stability. That invests in mentorship for our students. That actually prioritizes building a community. And we cannot have that if we have faculty leaving because we cannot address the high cost of living in this area. This university can pay a million times over for the basic decency of what is being asked at the bargaining table.”
SEIU 1021 members were supported by students from student associations ASG and SCCAP, as well as fellow union members from facilities union, SEIU 2007, along with Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, Councilmember Peter Ortiz, and Executive Officer Jean Cohen of the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, all offering words of inspiration and solidarity.