By james art 
The United Campus Workers of Virginia, a state union representing campus workers at Virginia Commonwealth University, William & Mary and Virginia Tech, gathered at Capitol Square in Richmond on Jan. 17 to demand collective bargaining rights and advocate for systemic reforms in higher education. After a morning of lobbying sessions with state lawmakers, the union called for legislative action to address issues such as delayed pay for graduate workers and the high cost of living near the featured universities, the Cavalier Daily reports.
The main demand of the rally was to allow for collective bargaining, the process of negotiations between employers and groups of employees to establish provisions for wages, benefits and working conditions. Union members stressed that without this legal right in the country, public sector and higher education workers have no formal tool to address problems such as insufficient or delayed pay, suppression of free expression and inadequate workplace conditions. Speakers at the rally argued that collective bargaining would allow workers to secure fair contracts — by holding higher institutions accountable for treating their employees fairly.
