Dartmouth Dining student workers have voted to unionize. The ballots were tallied today by a representative from Region 1 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which is expected to certify the Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth (SWCD) as the representative of the student dining services workers by next week. Approximately 30% of eligible student workers voted.

Under a stipulated agreement between Dartmouth and the SWCD approved by the NLRB in February, ballots were mailed to all Dartmouth Dining student workers who had worked at least 4.5 hours between Oct. 13, 2021, and Feb. 5, 2022.

The ballots were mailed by the NLRB on March 1 with a return deadline of March 29.

Dartmouth pledged to stay neutral on whether the student workers should unionize, a pledge that is highly uncommon for employers to make in union organizing efforts, but one that reflects Dartmouth’s position that the decision rested with the students.

“Dartmouth believes this election was fair and took place under a framework that allowed for participation by students from as many terms as possible,” said Joshua Keniston, vice president of campus services and institutional projects.  “We respect the students’ choice and look forward to developing a strong relationship with the collective, as we have with the members of SEIU Local 560.”