Clark undergraduate student workers are on strike. Between the three of us, two strikers and an ally, we collectively walked around in circles, played music, cooked meals, and chanted for at least 24 hours. We have also had many more hours with the chants playing over and over and over again in our heads. They’re catchy! 

So, we decided to do something with the constant repetition in our heads and rank our favorite chants. The criteria for this list are as follows: 

• Did we remember it without looking at the chant script? (For the most part) 
• Does it make us want to groove?
• Does it say something substantial?
• Last, certainly not least (perhaps even most important): Is it fun?

1 – Get up! Get down! Worcester is a union town!

It’s catchy, it’s simple, and it’s easy to remember. Not only is it a chant, but it also has a little dance to go with it; strikers and allies can be found putting their arms up and down while they chant. Short and sweet, this chant takes first place.

2 – One, we are the union! 

Two, a little bit louder! 

Three, we’re out here fighting 

FOR our card check!

This chant is one of our favorite chants, and many others seem to agree, as we have had friends chanting this to themselves in our dorms. This chant says what the union is fighting for (a card check with the university), so it gives people information. It is catchy, has a tune to it, and is very fun.  

3 – Up, up, up with the workers! 

Down, down, down with the bosses.

Clarkies love to get grooving, which is why another chant with a dance is in our top three. Raising your arms with every up chant and then bringing them back down still with the beat is very fun and even better with a tambourine. This one doesn’t give a lot of clear information about what the union wants, which we had to detract points for, but it’s catchy and gets the crowd going.

4 – Clark University, you can’t hide; we can see your greedy side!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! During the Pro-Palestine protests last semester, they used the same chant with “We charge you with genocide” instead of “We can see your greedy side” and it’s great to see it brought back. It’s illuminating to see these two instances placed next to each other, both illustrative of the administrative apathy toward the student body, especially when money is involved. Not as catchy as the others however and occasionally confusing for those of us at both pickets, this is a solid fourth place in our book. 

5 – Everywhere we go!

(Everywhere we go)

The people wanna know!

(The people wanna know)

Who we are!

(Who we are)

So we tell them!

(So we tell them)

We are the union!

(We are the union)

The mighty, mighty union!

(The mighty, mighty union)

And if they forget it!

(And if they forget it)

They’ll live to regret it!

(They’ll live to regret it.)

Who doesn’t love a good call-and-response? We know we sure do!  This chant is catchy, but it is long. The “Mighty Mighty Union” is a fun line, and many strikers have added more mighty’s to it. Overall, this chant is a solid fifth place in our books. 

6 – My neck! My back!

These policies are wack!

This chant references the popular song “My neck, my back!” by Khia, and isn’t that so fun! It brings some much-needed humor and excitement to the picket line. Also, “these policies are wack” is such a funny sentence for about 30 people to yell over and over again.

7 – What’s disgusting? Union busting! What’s outrageous? They don’t pay us!

We like this one because it reminds strikers and passer-byers of Clark University’s union-busting practices. Of course, it’s also catchy and short, but we mainly placed it in this list because it is slightly more communicative of the union’s gripes with the university.

8 – When I say union, you say power! 

Union!

Power!

Union!

Power!

We like this one purely for the simplicity. It is easy to say, and it is easy to repeat, and of course, it is calling for power and workers’ rights at the same time.

9 – One day longer, one day stronger!

We like this one because it reminds the university that they are still here after multiple days of being neglected and ignored. The university wants to wait the union out, and this chant is trying to remind them that the union is only getting stronger.

10 – What do we want? Contracts! When do we want them? Now! And if we don’t get them? Shut it down!

This chant is just a short and simplistic recap of what the union wants and what it it’s doing. It never hurts to refresh, and what better way to do it in a call-and-response chant? Of course, the final part, “shut it down,” is the best reflection of the strike’s goal and what people hope to achieve by withholding labor.

Honorable Mention: We Will Rock You (We Will Shut Down ClarkU) 

The chants haven’t been working alone, though, as Clarkies with musical talent have broken out their instruments adding a beat underneath all the chants. The music was brought by Clarkies, who have donated time, effort, and a whole lot of breath for some, has been truly wonderful. The chants and added music from the brass, woodwind, string, and percussion players have kept up morale, fueling the picket line. Without the musicians and chants, the magnetism and energy of the picket would have been long gone. One could say you’ve really struck a chord with the strikers. We thank you for contributing your talents and your solidarity with the workers on this campus. Keep jamming on and keep our strikers strong!