It is easy for students to think of labor rights as something distant — an issue limited to union halls, the factory floor, or just part of some far-off episode in history. But for the student barista who makes your coffee, the adjunct professor who leads your lectures, or your friend working weekends to pay rent, our collective rights as workers are quickly subsumed into our rights as humans. 

On and off campus, we face the challenges of being overworked, underpaid, and undervalued, never mind our exhausting responsibilities as university students on top of them. If we want to see our conditions improve and create a future we can look forward to, students need to get serious about the fight for labor rights.

Fortunately, labor rights saw a win last November when Missouri passed Proposition A, a crucial piece of legislation approved by Missourians and driven by the will of the people to protect all of us as workers. Not only does it set a $15 minimum wage to take effect in January of 2026, but it also mandates paid sick days to be earned by workers starting May 1. 

Unfortunately, the benefits of Prop. A, despite being passed by 57% of Missourians, face a growing risk of being cut by legislators in the state capitol. One lawsuit claims that the ballot measure violated Missouri’s constitution by including two separate subjects, arguing that minimum wage and paid sick leave are distinct issues unrelated to the broader umbrella of workers’ rights. Others, like Republican Senator Mike Bernskoetter or Representative Jeff Vernetti, claim the ballot was intentionally confusing for voters and that businesses are not equipped to bear these expenses, conveniently omitting the fact that Prop. A was victorious with a margin of some 450,000 votes and supported by a coalition of over 500 businesses. 

The people behind groups like Missouri Jobs with Justice, Fight for $15, the Missouri Workers Center, or Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, all organizations vocal in the defense of Prop. A, are regularly fighting against these attacks. But in my time at Missouri Jobs with Justice working alongside activists, advocates, policy researchers, and affected workers, I am left wondering: Where are all the other students? 

We as students must further our involvement in the labor rights movement. The repeated attacks on workers’ rights by legislators in Jefferson City do not exclude us from the consequences in St. Louis. The reality of the situation at WashU demands many of us to have jobs on top of our studies—the rights of workers are, at the same time, the rights of students. Our days spent in part-time jobs or internships do not make us part of the future workforce; we already are the workforce. The benefits we voted for to protect ourselves and our communities cannot be forgotten about, especially during a time of serious effort levied toward their repeal.  

The importance of this bill is not lost upon other communities, who are joining in coalition to defend Prop. A. Medical staff attest to the value of keeping our society healthy and safe through paid sick leave. Business owners are speaking out in favor of fair wages for their employees and the role that plays in creating a strong economy. Representatives of religious parishes, members at all levels of the legal system, even people who work in Jefferson City: all of them have come together to protect labor rights because they see the value in labor rights protection. Students need to be just as involved in this fight, if not more so. Just as we will all feel the impact of the ballot measure’s win back in November, so too will we all feel the harm in its repeal. 

As a graduate student at WashU, I know that we are all busy and tired at this point in the semester. But the fact of the matter is things are not going to get any easier for us if we are not getting active in the fight for our rights. We should not have to worry about missing a paycheck because we woke up sick, or risk the health and safety of our communities by forcing ourselves out there to work. Students especially know how hard things get when you have to balance work life with academics. We cannot think of work and school as being separate from one another.

So what is to be done? The recent attacks against Prop. A have underscored the importance of promoting vigilance and understanding the rights of workers. This fight will require equal parts educating ourselves and others as to the benefits of bills like Prop. A, and showing up wherever possible to strengthen coalitions in the labor rights movement. Only together as workers will we have the power and reach to advance as students, and this fight is in dire need of student participation. Students must leverage their dual position as workers, recognize the intersectionality of their situation to the broader struggle for labor rights and use the unique knowledge, resources, and connections afforded to them to add to the voices advocating for our collective rights.    

The opportunities to show up are not lacking either; many of the previously mentioned organizations are proactive in planning rallies, phone banks, and canvassing blitzes to get the word out there. They just need us as students showing up, manning the lines, and talking to people about their rights. We have the power, as well as the responsibility, to keep driving progress further for everyone. It is through the combined efforts within this movement that we will further ourselves as workers, as students, and as a society all together — but we at WashU need to get involved now.

If you want to start getting involved, any of the organizations listed above are always welcoming to new volunteers or can point you in the right direction. You can also reach me at [email protected] for questions or opportunities to start showing up in the fight for workers’ rights.