When I started at Salem State University [as a research and instructional librarian in 2007], it was like, hey everybody, let’s go to the union meeting. There will be free food! But I only had a vague sense of what a union did.\
As a librarian, it didn’t feel like the union did a lot for me and my colleagues. Eventually, I got sick of it, and I said, I’m going to try to fix this. We’re equal members in the contract. We’re equal members of the union.
When they put on a call for chapter committees, I signed up for membership outreach and events planning—because I like party planning! And then I ended up as chair of the academic policy committee and eventually on the executive board.
My time in leadership started in crisis. Last year, the university president announced he wanted to furlough all employees for five weeks because of fear of low budgets, fear of low enrollments. I realized I have so many protections: I have tenure, I’ve gotten my promotions, and I have the backing of a union. I needed to start speaking up for my colleagues who are in more tenuous positions, whose lives are held in the balance.
My goal is for all members to feel part of the union. The union is a body of members, and every member is a part of the union. If somebody disagrees with the union, they should get involved.
