Food service workers at Northeastern University are proud of the work we do feeding and serving students, faculty, staff, and guests on our campus.

While Northeastern University has plenty of resources, many of us would go hungry without the help of public assistance. Many of us rely on low-income housing, food assistance, child care subsidies, and publicly-funded health care just to get by.

The average yearly pay for full-time Northeastern University food service workers is less than $22,000 which puts us well below Boston's median income according to the city’s 2016 study on income inequality. The study pointed out that for two income households with two children, $35,000 “just barely covers” costs. Many of us fare far worse.

Economic inequality is a crisis for our families, and for Boston.

But we want to be part of the solution. And you can help.

In 2012, we organized a union with UNITE HERE Local 26, which has nearly 10,000 members in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This spring we began negotiating our new contract with a demand of $35,000 a year and affordable health care. These are the same demands won by our counterparts at Harvard University after a 22-day strike last October. We believe that we will win.

Please join us in calling on Northeastern University to work to end this crisis for Boston families. Sign the petition today and we'll update you on more ways to be involved.