Georgetown University has declined to voluntarily recognize the Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalition (GRAC) as a union, according to communications from the university to GRAC.

The university’s decision means the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a federal agency that enforces U.S. labor law, will hold an election before the end of the semester to determine whether resident assistants (RAs) will receive union representation by Local 153 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), which represents many higher education employees. Should the majority of RAs vote in favor of union representation, GRAC will become a union.

The university will collaborate with the NLRB and GRAC to hold an election and accept its eventual result, according to Joseph Ferrara, a university vice president and chief of staff to University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95).

“Georgetown respects employees’ rights to freely associate and organize, which includes voting for or against union representation without intimidation, unjust pressure, undue delay or hindrance in accordance with applicable law,” Ferrara wrote in a March 27 email to GRAC that The Hoya obtained. “We believe that an election, conducted by secret ballot, is the most appropriate way to respect employees’ rights and want to ensure that we provide that opportunity to our RAs.”

“If a majority of RAs vote to form a union through the election process, the University will abide by the result,” Ferrara added.

GRAC organizers said they respect the university’s commitment to holding an election.

“The Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalition respects the decision of the University to proceed with an election,” GRAC wrote to The Hoya. “We commend the University’s commitment to remaining independent and neutral.”

“We thank the Georgetown community for their support, and we look forward to Resident Assistants having the chance to once again affirm their support for an RA Union in the coming weeks,” GRAC added.

The decision comes after GRAC’s March 22 request for the university to voluntarily recognize the union. Eighty-five of Georgetown’s 105 RAs signed a petition to unionize, listing grievances with the university including arbitrary termination, a lack of transparency in the hiring process, and inadequate compensation and mental health support.

The RAs gave the university a deadline of noon on March 27 to decide whether to voluntarily grant them union status. 

Since that request, over 300 students have signed a petition from the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) urging the university to voluntarily recognize GRAC.

Vice President of Student Affairs Eleanor J.B. Daugherty said the election ensures that all RAs can make their voices heard.

“The University believes that an election is an important piece of any unionization process,” Daugherty wrote in an email to RAs that the university posted on its website. “The nature of that process is important so that we can ensure that each RA has the opportunity to exercise their individual and voluntary choice, through an election, to determine if they wish to be represented by a union.”

“Georgetown is committed to compliance with those democratic principles and has engaged in an election process with each of the unions that represents employees on our campus,” Daugherty added.

Ferrara said the university supports its employees’ rights to vote on union representation.

“We believe it is important for employees to have the opportunity to exercise their individual and voluntary choice, through an election, to determine if they wish to be represented by a particular union,” Ferrara wrote.