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A history of USAW RI
Brown University Facilities and Library employees who were formerly members of Service Employees International Union, Local 134 formed the United Service and Allied Workers of Rhode Island on August 26, 2003. They have since been joined by:
- Providence Public Library Maintenance employees in September, 2003.
- DTZ employees at Bank of America, 111 Westminster St., Providence in November 2003.
- Bryant University Facilities employees in February 2004.
- Sodexo Dining Service (now AVI) employees at Bryant University in October 2004.
- Librarians, Specialists, and Clerks at the Providence Public Library in September 2005, the first newly unionized employees (as opposed to former SEIU 134 members) to join USAW-RI.
- Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority employees in May 2007, the last of the former SEIU 134 members to have an opportunity to join USAW-RI.
- Providence Community Library employees, who split from PPL in July 2009. USAW continues to represent both PPL and PCL employees.
- Brown Dining (certified October 21, 2013) who were previously in SEIU.
- The Brown Parking Officers joined the Facilities bargaining unit on November 16, 2012 and the Mailroom Drivers joined September 12, 2013. Service Response joined the Facilities bargaining unit on March 30, 2015.
- The Banquet Captains joined the Dining bargaining unit in December of 2019.
USAW-RI currently has over 800 members. In addition, we have a service agreement with the RISD Museum Guards and Dispatchers.
The decision to form USAW-RI was made by SEIU Local 134 members in May 2003 due to a decision by SEIU to transfer some of the bargaining units to Boston Local 615, which was then in trusteeship. In June and July 2003, DTZ, Brown University and Providence Public Library members petitioned to join USAW-RI and the others followed during their respective open windows (90-60 days before contract expiration). Most of the SEIU Local 134 members have now joined USAW and the rest were transferred to either SEIU 615 or SEIU-NAGE.
USAW-RI's Constitution and Bylaws provides for an Executive Board composed of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Business Agent, Recording Secretary, and three Trustees elected by the entire membership of the union, and Executive Board members elected by the individual bargaining units in the following manner:
2-50 employees = 1 representative
51-100 employees = 2 representatives
101-200 employees = 3 representatives
Over 200 = 4 representatives
The Business Agent and Treasurer are full-time employees as well as members of the union. USAW-RI holds an election every two years for all Executive Board seats.
USAW union dues have not been raised since the members left SEIU. They are $31.48 per month for full-time members, $27 per month for part-time members who work at least 25 hours a week and $22.52 per month for members who work more than 16 but less than 25 hours per week. $1.50 per member per month is set aside for the USAW strike fund.
Detroit, Michigan. Float in the Labor Day parade showing soldiers and worker. Arthur S. Siegel, 1942.; courtesy the Library of Congress.