University of Minnesota workers held a union drive Tuesday afternoon with Service Employees International Union Local 284 outside Northrop Auditorium, joined by Senator and Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh.

Fateh joined the union drive press conference on Tuesday afternoon and referred to himself as a “U of M worker.” Fateh said he stood with the labor union, as workers are standing up in their workplace across the country.

“I want to stand up and support them at a time when worker rights are under attack, not just citywide or statewide but nationally,” Fateh said. “I thought it’s important to stand with the workers and make sure that every worker is protected here at the U.”

Fateh said he hopes the labor union succeeds in their work, and he understands the significance of labor union support both locally and nationally.

“I hope to see them successful and organizing, and I’m willing to do anything that I can to support them,” Fateh said. “My role, and as a worker, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of having a strong union back you up.”  

SEIU Local 284 represents around 3,000 workers at the University across its five campuses, according to Amie Stager, a labor education service worker at the Carlson School of Management and a Minnesota Daily alum.

“We’re trying to represent workers in marketing communications, IT, grants, contracts and student services,” Stager said. “That’s around 3,000 workers at all five campuses, including remote workers and in person.”

As University workers are standing up for better wages, SEIU 284 executive director Kelly Gibbons said, during contract negotiations, higher-ups can often change their minds on offering what workers want.

“There’s a huge pay gap between the higher-ups and the people who actually do the work every day,” Gibbons said. “Having a seat at the table and a contract because you can be told here’s what you’re going to get, but they can take it away at any time.” 

Gibbons said she hopes to see the labor union have a voice while fighting for what they want. 

“They all get to have a union, and they get to have a contract and they fill their power in the workplace and have a voice at the table,” Gibbons said. 

Michael Wilson, a grants and contracts professional in the School of Public Health, said the Trump administration is obscuring financial details, especially involving University funds. 

“There’s been a lot of misinformation in the media and especially from some federal agencies under the Trump administration that really obfuscate what facilities and administration costs are and what indirect costs are, how universities use them,” Wilson said.

Wilson said the labor union wants to have a bargaining agreement due to workers having negative workplace environments. 

“We’re organizing to fight for a union so that we can have a collective bargaining agreement,” Wilson said. “Ultimately, get a contract to have an even playing field about some working conditions at our jobs.” 

According to the SEIU website, University workers are organizing for fair wages and to continue the University’s mission for students. 

“We are organizing for dignity and respect for University workers, including fair wages and protection from layoffs, to uphold the mission of the University, including world-class education, groundbreaking research and community-engaged outreach,” the website read. 

Stager said the labor union wants to stop the pay gap between the school’s administrators and workers and improve their workplace environment. 

“We mentioned a few of them today, like better workplace democracy, closing the pay gap, like the salary gap between lower-paid workers, the school’s executives and creating healthier workplaces,” Stager said. 

The labor union is helping the University workers organize their campaign. 

“We just help them facilitate what they need so they make those decisions and they’re leading this campaign and it’s powerful,” Gibbons said.