Resident Assistants and Peer Mentors live in the residence halls of UMass and are part-time, student/staff members. They play a pivotal leadership role with students in Residence Halls. RA’s duties include crisis intervention, peer counseling, community building, and are invaluable resource and referral agents for the university community.

Setting legal and organizing precedence, RAs battled the University of Massachusetts to gain union recognition in 2002.  RAs have made significant gains through their union and continue to work hard to ensure the union remains democratic and strong. Learn more about it’s history below.  UMass RAs have 425 union members in the Local 2322!

History

UMass RAs voted to join the United Auto Workers, Local 2322 in March, 2002.  When the UMass Administration refused to bargain with us, we protested outside the UMass President’s office in Boston, and engaged in sit-ins on campus.  By July, the UMass Administration had conceded to the RAs, recognized the union, and acknowledged its duty to bargain.  We have had a loud and proud union since then, with a history of contracts making major improvements in RA working conditions.

In 2014, Peer Mentors organized to join the Resident Assistant bargaining unit at UMass.  Again, UMass fought us when we asserted our legal right to organize.