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Berea College still waiting on NLRB decision on student labor union vote

Tyler Rocquemore ’22
/
Berea.edu

Both student workers and administration at Berea College are still waiting for a decision from the National Labor Relations Board on whether students can hold a vote to organize a labor union.

The original filing was made seven months ago. Students are being represented by the Communications Workers of America.

Berea is a work college, which means students are required to work 10 hours on campus each week as part of their curriculum.

The board is currently reviewing post-hearing briefs from both union and school representatives, according to an email from an NLRB spokesperson. Those briefs were filed in June.

Both sides say they’re waiting to hear from the NLRB on what the next steps are in the meantime.

“It's comparable to any legal process, where our materials, like our case, is there, and we’re just waiting,” Berea College President Cheryl Nixon said in an August interview.

Supporters say a union is the best chance to negotiate with the college on issues like better workplace safety, higher wages and a formal grievance system.

Those opposed say a union is incompatible with Berea’s “work college” model, and that students can’t be recognized as workers.

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Shepherd joined WEKU in June 2023 as a staff reporter. He most recently worked for West Virginia Public Broadcasting as General Assignment Reporter. In that role, he collected interviews and captured photos in the northern region of West Virginia. Shepherd holds a master’s degree in Digital Marketing Communication and a bachelor’s in music from West Virginia University.
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