“Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power! What kind of power? Union power!” resonates across Gleeson Plaza as a sea of yellow T-shirt adorned professors and allies continue to advocate for new terms in contract negotiations with the university.
The rally took place on Thursday, Sept. 24, with a comprehensive list of speakers representing each school here at the university, in addition to District 1 Representative Connie Chan and San Francisco Labor Council Executive Director Kim Tavaglione.
President of the USF Faculty Association (USFFA) Professor Brandi Lawless opened the event with a speech: “Our message today is simple; fair work, fair pay, fair say. Those are not unreasonable demands. They are about building a sustainable university.” Lawless’s messaging echoes throughout the following speeches, as the slogan “Fair work, fair pay, fair say” are repeated between speeches.
Chan’s support towards the USFFA is significant, as representative of District 1 in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Lone Mountain is included in her constituency. Additionally, her candidacy for the vacated seat of Nancy Pelosi as representative of the 11th congressional district (which represents nearly the entirety of San Francisco) is on the ballot for Nov. 3, as her platform emphasizes support for “affordable housing, protections for small businesses, workers’ and union rights, and increased support for families who are struggling during these difficult times.” according to her campaign.
Chan said, “I’ve been on the San Francisco board of supervisors for the last six years, but also the city budget committee for the last four. I can tell you for any city, any organization or institute, their budget is the statement of their values.” Chan would conclude her brief appearance by reiterating USFFA’s slogan of “Fair work, fair pay, fair say.”
Union members Professors Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales, Janet Yang, Ilaria Giglioli, Alice Fiddian-Green, Oscar Jerome Stewart and librarian Amy Gilligan each represented the various schools and centers which operate in conjunction to make USF the school we know today. Negrón-Gonzales, a scholar of immigration and education, describes the incomprehensive nature of her professor role simply described on her business cards as she says, “None of it is in my job description, but I do it because it’s the work that makes the university. … It’s the kind of interaction that allows [students] to cross the stage on graduation day.”
Master of Arts in Migration Studies Professor Giglioli says, “Limits to the cost of living expenses jeopardizes us. We want to fight to be here; we want to fight for our students.” Associate Professor of Management Oscar Jerome Stewart spoke on the methods by which university administrators have chosen to enter negotiations, saying, “No competent organization demands decreasing pay and increasing workload.”
Tavaglione, the spokesperson for a coalition of more than 150 unions, broadened the scope of the rally to a nationwide movement for recognizing and respecting workers’ rights, succinctly saying at the end of her speech, “When we fight, we win.” Tavaglione’s platform has long sought to emphasize the importance of collective organization, saying, “I’ve met with a lot of different young people and explained to them how important it is to organize their workers and stand up for their coworkers. Because when communities are strong, that’s when San Francisco is strong,” in an interview with Ali Wunderman of the San Francisco Examiner.
As the large crowd dispersed, rally organizer Professor Sarah Burgess reflected on the event. She was asked “Do you think the rally was as successful to the standards of the union?” She said, “Absolutely, this was a building block. It was the first action we’re gonna take, and we’re gonna keep having more events and involving more people.” In reflecting on future goals, Burgess said, “What we are trying to do is create learning environments for students where everyone can succeed, and if education is gonna be first, and that’s what USF is about, your educators cannot be last.”
