Letter of Support from Fordham Alumni in the New York State Legislature

March 7, 2022

Joseph M. McShane 
President, Fordham University 
Office of the President
441 East Fordham Road 
Bronx, NY 10458

Dear President McShane,

On behalf of Fordham University Alumni in the NYS legislature, we are writing to express our support for the organizing rights of the Fordham graduate student workers who are seeking to join the Communications Workers of America.

As an institution in the Roman Catholic tradition, Fordham should be guided by the Catholic teaching that workers have a right to organize to improve their working conditions. As Fordham alumni, we take great pride in the university’s Jesuit mission of discernment, magis and reflection, and as part of the Fordham community, we are committed to the Jesuit principle of cura personalis. It is in that spirit that we are appealing to you to ensure Fordham continues to be a just and equitable university that truly cares for the whole person.

As employees, Fordham graduate student workers teach core classes, run labs, tutor students, support faculty’s work, provide administrative assistance, and more. The work is essential for the university’s functioning, yet, unlike many other employees at Fordham and at peer institutions, they have no voice in the workplace.

It is our understanding that the workers have formed a union—the Fordham Graduate Student Workers (FGSW) and are now asking for legal recognition to bargain with Fordham’s administrators to institute binding structures that address existing and future workplace challenges.

It is our sincere hope that the administration ensures a free and fair union election process by signing a neutrality agreement and recognizing the union if and when an independent third party verifies that a majority have signed union authorization cards. We hope the administration does not create any unnecessary legal obstacles to these workers having a voice in their workplace.

Respectfully,