On Tues., Nov. 18, 2025, members of our Occidental College student worker bargaining team organized a protest on the quad calling out our admin’s disrespectful behavior in bargaining for our first union contract. School officials demanded our colleagues stop using bullhorns at the action and later sent disciplinary warnings to … Read More
Occidental College’s admin has disrespected student workers in negotiations for a union contract from day one and has broken labor law to try and silence our voices. Here’s what they’ve proposed in bargaining: It’s clear to us that Oxy wants to maintain the status quo. We can’t let them. Our … Read More
Since joining SEIU Local 721 in summer 2024, Oxy student workers have been hard at work bargaining with Occidental College for a strong union contract. Unfortunately, the college has met us with union-busting tactics and disrespectful proposals that do nothing to change the status quo. Among many other workplace proposals, … Read More
We are Occidental College Student Workers. We are essential in our roles as resident advisors, graders, tutors, translators, researchers, lifeguards, service workers, photographers, mail clerks, tour guides, and more. Despite our diverse jobs on campus, we are united in our goals to win respect and a strong union contract that … Read More
We’ve locked in across-the-board wage increases to keep up with LA’s high cost of living.
Thanks to your organization, dedication, and tenacity, we accomplished this win. As always, when we fight — we win.
Occidental Staff: We secured across-the-board base wage increases this year and in 2026. Online voting started today Friday, August 22 from 9AM to 6PM. Your Bargaining Team strongly recommends a YES vote. Vote here: https://www.seiu721.org/ballot/occidental-college-wage-reopener-2025-2027.php Here’s what we’ve won: Only SEIU 721 members in good standing will be able vote. Please click … Read More
Occidental College student workers voted overwhelmingly to join us in SEIU Local 721, according to ballots tallied Wednesday, June 12, by the National Labor Relations Board! The more than 1,000 undergraduate workers have diverse roles — baristas, resident assistants, graders, tutors, translators, lifeguards, researchers, and many more — and formed … Read More
Occidental College student workers and allies marched to campus President Harry J. Elam Jr.’s office on Friday, March 22, to demand that he sign a pledge committing the college to voluntarily recognize their union through a card check process. The student workers — who are resident advisors, baristas, tour guides, … Read More
Congratulations to the non-tenure track faculty at Occidental College who voted today to join SEIU 721! Ballots for Occidental faculty were counted this afternoon at the National Labor Relations Board. Today’s landmark yes vote comes after a months-long organizing drive that saw scores of faculty and students working together to … Read More