Graduate workers then voted to affiliate with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 509 in mid-2021, which also represents adjunct professors, lecturers, and residential advisors.

[6] In September 2022, graduate workers began a successful public campaign of union authorization forms, advocating for improvements in wages, workload protections, healthcare and coverage, support for international students, and housing.

[19] BUGWU has held subsequent protests following their initial rally, such as picketing at BU's commencement,[20] a walkout on the first day of classes,[21] and other smaller events.

On September 27, BUGWU would protest the inauguration of the university's new president, Melissa L. Gilliam, claiming that she has not divested investments nor met with BU unions.

[22] Various people and groups have shared their support for BUGWU, including Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont,[23] SAG-AFTRA,[24] Boston City Council,[25] State Representative Mike Connolly,[26] the university's student government,[27] and other graduate and teacher unions.

[28] Boston University's Office of the Provost updated their payroll policy as a result of the strike, requiring all graduate workers to attest to working weekly in order to receive their stipends.

Others reported that personal items had been taken as well, although the union states that the Dean of Arts and Sciences told department heads the raids would cease.

[33] On March 28, 2024, the dean of the Boston University College of Arts and Sciences sent an email to staff and faculty suggesting the use of generative artificial intelligence to give students feedback on assignments in the absence of graduate workers.

An email would be obtained by Inside Higher Ed written by Stan Sclaroff and Malika Jeffries-EL, two deans of the university's College of Arts and Sciences, where the BUGWU's contract was cited as imposing a strained budget, and that the College of Arts of Sciences within Boston University will need to become more economically independent to accommodate doctoral programs.

[38] Multiple media outlets would report on the suspension and the email sent by the CAS deans, including WBUR, The Boston Globe,[39] GBH,[40] ARTnews, and Boston.com.

[46] This union, composed of both undergraduate and graduate students, advocated for a $15 an hour wage, meal plans for non-dormitory workers instead of a $15 per week stipend, improved CPR and Narcan training, crisis intervention, mental health care, summer safety measures, and backpay.

[1][47] They have also criticized BU's RA grade point average policy, which maintains that RAs must keep a GPA of 2.7 and above, as being used by the university to unfairly fire union members and remove housing.

[49] The BU ResLife Union began contact negotiations with Boston University in December 2023, proposing 28 articles, with five having been tentatively agreed upon as of April 2024.

[55] During the first ResLife strike in April, the university stated that they would continue to allow workers to access their rooms and dining plans, not charging them a daily rate.