Testimonials

Dartmouth Library workers speak out about why we want a union. Click on an image to read the full statement.

Want to add your own? Email dclwunion@gmail.com.

Our union will restore a transparent promotion system and open it to all library staff. Our union will give us greater control over the work that we do and how we are compensated. Our union will give a voice to those among us who are afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs. We, the workers, will come up with a contract that will guarantee greater transparency and equity.

I think we should consider unionizing because everyone should share the work of staff advocacy. I feel like I’ve done everything I can to work for change within the current system, but I’m not convinced that what we’ve gotten so far is permanent or sustainable. I’m tired of being the last to know when a decision that affects my career and personal life is made. I want workers to have a guaranteed role in the negotiating process.

I believe that a unionized library will be a better library. As things stand now, many of us find it difficult to reconcile our belief in our work with the bare facts of our situation: that we are struggling and the College isn’t listening. With a union, with a say in our own futures, I believe that we will be able to address our problems head-on.

I love the Upper Valley and I love my work, but it’s hard to think of this living as more than getting by. There is no future for me here with the way things are. There is no buying a home. There is no having children. But the future is what you make it. I’m putting my support behind the union, because I do believe that things can get better for all of us.

I stand with my colleagues in working toward a more equitable, transparent, and cooperative organization. Together we can become a stronger library that recognizes and fairly compensates our labor, our talent, and our dedication to service.

The need for a union became even more clear after the compensation adjustment went through late last year. Wow, I'm suddenly worth that much?! Where'd they find all that money, after years of budget cuts and a base increase that always fell short of other divisions around the College? What about all those years of lost wages from not meeting inflation, from the piling-on of work on those remaining as department staff shrunk from attrition? A union would take great strides towards not having our compensation rest on the unpredictable motivations & random benevolence of the Main Office & Provost.

Without a union, Dartmouth says "Take it or leave it" and there is no recourse. WIth a union, we can ask (negotiate) for more that serves *us*, not just Dartmouth, the Trustees, the Provost, etc. We want a voice and agency, since we spend most of our lives and energy here for the benefit of Dartmouth. A union will force a balance that Dartmouth has not given voluntarily.

Unions are the backbone of a strong society. Without unions each worker must stand on their own, but with a union the workers can stand on a more equal footing with their employers.

I'm in support of library workers having agency in choosing how best to represent their interests at the negotiating table within the larger organization, and think that unionizing should be an available option for all to consider as a way to ensure optimal working conditions.

The best way to secure a dynamic, innovative, and effective Library is through bargaining collectively and directly with Dartmouth College. We will be free to do our best today and tomorrow with fair compensation, accountable administration, and a direct voice in our work.

Everyone that works in the library plays an important role in keeping the heart of this institution beating and supporting the academic activities that Dartmouth is proud of. Because of this, I think we deserve to have input in the decisions made that directly affect us, as well as transparency from the College administration.

A union will enable my colleagues and I to come together as a collective voice to push for reducing disparities. We all deserve equal opportunities in the workplace. In addition, I will have the support of the union when I need it.

I would to love to work at Dartmouth until I retire but I can't afford it.The annual merit based raises don't meet the cost of living increases in the area. Plus, a limited real estate and rental market means that I'm forced to pay large portions of my monthly salary to live less than a 30min drive from Dartmouth. Just these two factors significantly decrease my financial security and ability to save and invest for the future. I also know that I'm not the only one facing these pressures. Unionizing will bring all of our voices together, so that we can work with Dartmouth College decision makers to improve the quality of life of staff members and in return reduce the costs (both direct and indirect) from staff turnover. Staff turnover has ripple effects that aren't well documented. I have heard students of color say that they have stopped building relationships with staff members of color because they leave before the student graduates.

I look forward to joining with my colleagues to form a library workers union. Together we can build a more equitable and dynamic workplace here within the Dartmouth community. I believe in defending workers’ rights and working towards more fairness and transparency in our library. Becoming leaders in all the respective fields our library touches relies on us working together. The best avenue for that professional success is through a union that supports the best interests of all library workers.

I support unionization because I want a say in my future at Dartmouth. I spent ten years here without any path for promotion or advancement available to me. With a union we can bring more equity to compensation and make sure raises are guaranteed in the long term for all our staff members.

In general, I think unions should be the default for all workplaces. In particular, this one will give Dartmouth library workers representation in some of the decisions that affect our work and lives. Everyone deserves the option of a promotion path without having to leave for another job. Everyone deserves pay that keeps up with inflation and enables us to comfortably live in the place where we work. Dartmouth chooses not to provide these things to library workers and shows no sign of changing that. I am especially concerned by the appalling inequities around the basic benefits provided to different library employees; it is reprehensible that my hourly colleagues get less than half the vacation time that I do. Transparency, communication, and a voice for staff are all necessary for a healthy workplace. None of these currently exist at Dartmouth, and a library union will help make them a reality.

My support for unionizing any and all workplaces comes from a desire to have a seat at the table. Decision makers--bosses--rarely face consequences for their actions in any organization. Unions change that. I want representation, and I want accountability for those who freely disrespect their workers. I want to be heard. Unions allow that. When a workplace is more democratized, it makes way for equity in pay, shared workload, and better hours. Specifically, Dartmouth shows no respect for those deemed "Non-Exempt". This is reflected through gross disparities in wages, sick leave, and vacation time between otherwise comparable positions. The difference in compensation between these two classifications is arbitrary and outrageous. But why would anyone in charge care? They have no reason to care. It is not their problem. That changes when workers organize. Unions create problems for those in charge; They create problems that are otherwise carried solely by the subordinate. We should not be the only ones to carry such burdens. Make them carry that weight, too.

I support unions because I believe it is the best way to ensure a fair, equitable, and transparent
workplace for employees at all levels. I want to contribute my voice to a collective to ensure that all of us are compensated fairly and that we have a seat at the table about decisions that primarily affect us.

I think a unionized library staff will benefit staff, patrons, and the library as a whole. Staff will enjoy better access to decision-making processes, and a union will help promote the library staff’s sense of community. Patrons will benefit because staff will be able to participate in decision-making, which will help us focus on the work that each of us do that is most useful to library users. The library will benefit because a unionized staff will be able to help advocate for the library’s needs in campus conversations.

The library is working on a number of initiatives to improve our working environment, and I think having a union will support all of those.

I support unionization because I support protection and advocacy for all my colleagues, and all library workers. I want to work somewhere that's willing to send the message that the vital work of everyone across this profession cannot continue to be undervalued and underpaid. Forming bargaining units holds
institutions accountable to their commitment to investing in their employees' wellbeing by ensuring everyone is compensated fairly, and that those wages remain in step with continually rising rates of inflation and costs of living.

I support unionization because I believe workers should have a place at the table for decisions that affect their wellbeing and advancement opportunities. When workers are empowered to thrive, the entire organization benefits from better outcomes.

I support a union so library staff can have more of a say in the decisions that affect us, our work, and our spaces. I understand the need to balance many considerations, but it never feels good when we are the last ones to know when a big decision gets made.