University of Pennsylvania R.A.s Make Historic Decision to Unionize

Resident advisers at the University of Pennsylvania have voted overwhelmingly to unionize, joining a growing movement of labor organizing among undergraduate students across the United States. The R.A.s, who currently receive free housing and some meals but no pay for their 15 to 20 hours per week of work, are demanding fair compensation, better communication, and a more democratic workplace. This vote expands efforts to bring undergraduates into labor's fold, with recent unionization efforts at other universities such as Columbia, Barnard, and Wesleyan. After the election results are certified, the university and the newly recognized union will begin negotiating a contract, a process that could take months.