SUNY-Binghamton Research Workers Risk It All to Join CWA

Earlier this month, 292 research assistants at the State University of New York (SUNY)-Binghamton’s Research Foundation won their union election by a landslide. They will join CWA Local 1104, which represents 4,700 graduate student workers and 1,062 research assistants at SUNY campuses.

The majority of these workers are international students conducting scientific research, prime targets for President Trump’s mass deportation and research defunding schemes. Despite the inherent danger of organizing and the added danger of incarceration or deportation, these brave workers courageously accepted those risks to help protect one another.

“I’m pro-union because international students are more vulnerable, particularly today,” said Turan, a Binghamton History Department research assistant. “Building the union is about securing protections for international workers as well as ensuring that all RAs have the pay and benefits we need. We can get that through a union contract.”

CWA Local 1104 President Mike Ippoliti played a key role in supporting these workers, as did organizers from CWA Locals 1104,1123, and 1180. “We’re happy to welcome these workers into the CWA family,” said Ippoliti. “Despite considerable time constraints, we pulled together in an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ effort over the last few months. This win would not have been possible without everyone involved. We are looking forward to bargaining a first contract in the coming months.”

Congratulations to the SUNY-Binghamton workers for their courageous pursuit of a voice on the job.

 
CWA Local 1104 President Mike Ippoliti (fourth from left) joined research assistants and organizers from CWA Locals 1104, 1123, and 1180 to celebrate an organizing win for graduate workers at SUNY-Binghamton.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.