On Sunday, union members across Harvard came together to send a message that’s been a long time coming: Harvard works because we do. The rally—timed with the University’s Visitas weekend for admitted students—put a spotlight on the reality behind the glossy brochures and polished campus tours.
For many of the students walking through Harvard Yard, it might have been the first time they saw what the University would rather keep hidden: the workers who keep the place running and the struggles they face every day.
Clerical and technical workers with the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW) were there in full force, especially members of the growing Rank-and-File caucus. While union leadership continues to negotiate behind closed doors, the workers on the ground are taking things into their own hands—building networks, sharing stories, and getting organized for the long fight ahead.
“We’re not here to make a scene—we’re here to tell the truth,” said one HUCTW member, who’s been with Harvard for over a decade. “We do the work, and we deserve to be heard. We deserve more than slow negotiations and empty gestures.”
The rally came as frustration deepened across campus workplaces. A hiring freeze has left many departments short-staffed, forcing already overburdened workers to take on more without additional pay. Long-time staff are seeing their departments lean on temporary workers with no benefits or job security, yet management expects business as usual.
“There’s a revolving door of temps in our office,” another HUCTW member shared. “They’re not given any real support, and we’re the ones training them. It’s demoralizing for them and exhausting for us.”
The timing of the rally wasn’t random. Visitas is when Harvard tries to present itself as a model of inclusion and opportunity. But that image falters when you hear from staff working additional jobs to make rent, or staff who haven’t seen a real raise in years, while the cost of living in Greater Boston keeps climbing.
Meanwhile, students and workers are also concerned about the rising repression of speech and protest. Several speakers raised the issue of international students participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations who are now fearful of surveillance or retaliation, including the threat of deportation. The message from workers was firm: solidarity means protecting the most vulnerable, not just when it’s convenient, but when it counts.
Trump’s recent remarks about Harvard’s labor unrest sparked headlines, but the rally was about something more profound than party politics. It was about who makes the decisions on campus—and who pays the price.
Union members from HGSU-UAW, UNITE HERE Local 26, and student organizers with SLAM stood shoulder to shoulder with HUCTW workers, making clear that this isn’t just one fight—it’s many fights, bound together by shared struggle.
The Rank and File caucus, made up of HUCTW members who want a more democratic and confrontational approach to organizing, has been pushing for exactly this kind of visibility. They believe that if change is going to come, it won’t come from bargaining tables alone. It’ll come from pressure—public, sustained, and unapologetic.
And Sunday’s rally? It was just the beginning.
“There’s power in showing up,” said another HUCTW worker. “Even if Harvard doesn’t want us to be seen, we’ll keep showing up. Because this place doesn’t move without us.”
The message was clear: Harvard’s workers aren’t asking for favors. They’re organizing for power. Whether it’s pushing back against wage stagnation, fighting for stable jobs, or defending the right to protest without fear, the Rank and File caucus is building a movement grounded in solidarity—not slogans.
If you’re a Harvard worker who’s tired of waiting and ready to organize, now’s the time. The future of our union is in our hands.
