Stony Brook RA Union

It looks like an election is around the corner, and the Research Foundation (RF) is getting nasty. They’ve been following the union busters’ playbook by starting real nice, and getting increasingly more aggressive. They’re attempting to keep us divided because when we join together in a union they must negotiate with us in good faith, and can’t just dictate terms to us.
 
We’ve already addressed most of the RF’s claims in Myths vs. Reality: The Truth about Read more »

The Research Foundation (RF) continues to waste research money on expensive union busting lawyers. We estimate that for every hour their firm charges the RF, five RAs could have their transportation and technology fees waived for an entire year.

The public testimony of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) hearing in Brooklyn has concluded. Now both sides get Read more »

The Faces of Union Busting

David Prager Bio	Subhash Viswanathan Bio

We’ve learned that our employer, the SUNY Research Foundation (RF), has hired the law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King. BS&K is consulting with Human Resources and the Administration on how to bust our union, and fighting us in court saying we are not workers.

Two BS&K lawyers appeared to represent the RF at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) hearing, which began on October 10th. The lawyers, David Prager and Subhash Viswanathan, are both notorious union busters. Viswanathan worked with the RF to bust unions forming in Albany, Buffalo, and ESF, and is traveling to the hearings in Brooklyn all the way
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Despite the fact that a clear majority of RAs at Stony Brook have already signed up for the union, the SUNY Research Foundation has decided to spend scarce research funds to try and bust our union. Their anti-union campaign seems to come straight from some of the more aggressive union-busting law firms that specialize in keeping workers without union protections. “Union busting” law firms try and dissuade workers from coming together into a union. These expert union busters “coach” employers on how to maintain a non-union workforce. They typically charge about $800 per hour (that’s about $32,000 per week for a full time attorney).

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Recently it has come to our attention that a letter has been issued from the Research Foundation to all Research Assistants. This letter is clearly in response to our recent press conference announcing the formation of our union. Do not be intimidated!

If you’ve already read the letter, full of half-truths and myths, make sure to check out Myth vs. Reality: The Truth About Unions

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