(PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA) - Temple University’s Resident Assistants (RAs) and Peer Mentors (PMs) have voted by 100% to Unionize with Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153, following in the footsteps of RAs at 12 other Universities and Colleges, including Penn, Drexel, Swarthmore, Bucknell and more. 

Local 153 Lead Organizer Scott Williams said: “Temple did not make this easy, but these Workers were steadfast and determined to make history as the first Unionized Undergraduate Workers at a Public University in Pennsylvania. We are excited to welcome them into our Union as the twelfth group of RAs to come together and to demand a seat at the table with their University by forming a Union with Local (153).”

Temple University RAs and PMs play a critical role in student life in the dorms and in the health and well-being of their residents.

RAs are Undergraduate Student Workers hired by the University to live in the residence halls and oversee anywhere from 30 to 70 residents.

RAs have one-on-one meetings with each of their residents, design and put up monthly bulletin boards, hold monthly events for residents, and work overnight on-call duty shifts where RAs serve as First Responders to any emergencies inside the dorm.

RAs are also expected to work a minimum of 20 hours per week on the role - and often they will work more than those 20 expected hours.

Peer Mentors are Undergraduate Student Workers hired by the University to live in the residence halls to oversee and create a sense of community within their assigned Living Learning Communities.

PMs are also required to have one-on-one meetings with their residents, hold monthly events for residents, connect residents to the necessary resources for their learning community, and they are also expected to work a minimum of 20 hours per week on the role.

In forming a Union, the Temple Union of RAs (TURA) looks to make improvements on many aspects of working in the dorms at Temple with the goal of improving the overall quality of life for all students living on campus.

Temple RAs and PMs waited more than a year to have their Union election.

On September 30th, 2024, TURA asked Temple Human Resources for voluntary recognition after over 80% of RAs and PMs signed Union cards, but Temple Human Resources ignored the request.

On October 9th, 2024, TURA filed with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) to have a Union Election.

At first, the PLRB rejected the request saying the unit was fragmented and should include all Undergraduate Student Employees.

However, Local 153 successfully challenged the ruling.

Then, only after TURA filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charge on Temple University's attempt to intimidate RAs and PMs at a rally on October 21st, 2024, Temple management agreed to have an election if the Union withdrew the ULP Charge. 

Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety At: Temple RAs vote 97-0 to join Local 153 — OPEIU Local 153