Students joined shuttle drivers and International Academy faculty as they protested on Trousdale Parkway and Jefferson Boulevard, Thursday afternoon. 

Demonstrators called on onlookers to sign a petition that expressed support for higher wages and good faith negotiations between the University and the unions.

Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest at and around USC.

According to their petition, for the last three consecutive bargaining sessions, USC has not responded to the shuttle drivers union’s economic package. Shuttle drivers are seeking a wage increase over the current $20 an hour rate.

“Drivers have been forced to work overtime because of the low retention rate due to low and unlivable wages,” an Instagram post by the Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation read. “They are also pressured to work in unsafe working conditions as USC prioritizes profit over the wellbeing of our workers and students.”

USC shuttle drivers unionized in March 2023 under Service Employees International Union Local 721 and are currently in negotiations with the University. The vote to unionize passed by a one-vote margin, 16-15. 

In February 2023, around 50 workers and students demonstrated prior to the shuttle driver union election. The protest began at the Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, and demonstrators marched to Tommy Trojan. 

Faculty at the International Academy, which prepares international high school students for college and international USC students for master’s programs, unionized in February 2016 with a vote of 32 to 3 and are also represented by SEIU Local 721.

“[The protest] is a really clear example of cross-group solidarity,” said Mike Long, the SEIU Local 721 communications director. “It’s something that’s really incredible and we’re hoping that it continues to have a really big impact.”

The petition stated that some faculty have left USC in search of higher wages. 

“Faculty feel undervalued, morale is low, and majority of instructors must work multiple jobs to make ends meet,” the petition read. “Besides living wages, USC has struck down proposals for reduced teaching loads and refused requests for a parking stipend.”

The SEIU filed an unfair labor practice charge against the University to the National Labor Relations Board on Sept. 1, 2023. 

“Our folks are fired up,” Long said. “They’re gonna continue coming back to the table, working as hard as possible to hammer out a fair deal. We do really hope that the University will come back to the table and continue to bargain in good faith so that we can get this resolved.”  

The Daily Trojan has reached out to USC for comment and is awaiting response.

Marchers began on Jefferson and Trousdale chanting and marched past the USC Club and the Dworak-Peck School of Social Work on the way to the International Academy Building, where they chanted for several minutes. 

From there they stood on the corner of Jefferson and Figueroa Street as cars honked in support as they passed. Marchers then returned to their original location. 

Signs people were holding included phrases like “$90,000 TUITION BUT NO FAIR WAGES,” “Prioritize Our Shuttle Workers” and “HONK for USC International Academy Faculty!” 

“If we need to do more marches and more demonstrations, that’s of course never off the table,” Long said. “That’s the kind of stuff we love to do.”

This is a developing story and will be updated with a response from the University.