Labor News At Syracuse University

A development on campus that hasn't been covered widely. . .

(from the SU News clearinghouse)

Adjunct faculty union vote begins

On Oct. 31, a petition was filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by Adjuncts United, a labor union affiliated with the New York State United Teachers Union (AU/NYSUT), seeking to represent part-time and part-time adjunct faculty members employed by Syracuse University.
In its communications with the relevant faculty members, the University has stated that it would prefer to work directly with part-time and adjunct faculty to achieve mutually agreed upon goals, without an outside organization and that it respects the right of employees to choose whether or not they are represented by a union.

Details of this ongoing process are available at: http://provost.syr.edu/unionization/unioninfo.htm.

On Dec. 5, the NLRB is sending all eligible voters a ballot, by which they may cast their vote in a secret-ballot election to indicate whether they wish to be represented by a union for purposes of collective bargaining. This election will be conducted by mail. Eligible voters are defined as: all part-time, non-tenure-track faculty members employed by the University on the University’s Syracuse, N.Y., payroll and working in Syracuse, including part-time adjunct non-tenure-track faculty members; and including such faculty members employed by University College, all professional schools and on-line instruction programs. Excluded are all full-time faculty members, tenured and tenure-track faculty members, visiting professors, research faculty members, graduate assistants, teaching assistants, research assistants and faculty members who work in dual capacity for the University, which includes supervisory, confidential and/or managerial status, confidential employees, temporary employees, managers, guards and supervisors as defined by the National Labor Relations Act, and all other employees.

The majority of the votes cast in that election will determine whether the entire eligible group is represented or not. That is, employees who vote not to be represented and employees who abstain will, regardless of their vote, be represented by the union if a majority of the votes cast favor unionization. SU urges every employee who is within the petitioned unit to vote his or her personal preference.

Ballots must be returned on or before the close of business on Dec. 19 to count in the election process. Ballots will be counted on Dec. 20 and the results will be shared immediately. Regardless of the outcome of the election, SU will continue to work toward addressing the needs of its faculty and staff, in line with the priorities and economic realities of the University.

Notice the rhetorical threat of the "ominous union monster" in there? This is a clear (and common) anti-union tactic used to frighten unsure workers by encouraging them to link unions with totalitarianism in the that hope that they will instead opt for the university's proposed "good faith" model in which workers and the administration work toward mutually agreed upon goals.