More than 100 full-time educators at Tufts University in Medford will go on strike on Monday after nearly a year of unsuccessful contract negotiations. The lecturers, represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEUI) Local 509, are demanding fair wages, a cost-of-living adjustment, and sustainable workloads. The 121 lecturers at the School of Arts & Sciences authorized the strike with a 94% vote in favor. The two-day walkout will include a rally on Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. and a picket line at the Mayer Campus Center until the end of Jan. 28.
Classes, lectures, and labs usually conducted by the striking lecturers will not take place during the strike, but other faculty members will still hold classes. The unionized workers are seeking a 3.5% annual raise, a cost-of-living adjustment, and a reduced workload to ensure quality education for students. Tufts University stated that it has a compensation philosophy based on external market factors and internal equity and looks forward to reaching an agreement with the union. The strike follows 10 months of failed discussions over the lecturers’ salaries, which are among the lowest paid in the Boston area.
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