|
« AAUP Homepage
|
Unions Not Only Way to Achieve Faculty Goals
By Patrick Shaw
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions on faculty unionization at private colleges have been mixed in recent years. Professors at the University of Great Falls in Montana were ruled eligible for collective bargaining in 1997, and faculty at Manhattan College in New York were given that opportunity in 2000. But in other decisions, including those last summer regarding the Sage Colleges in New York and Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, NLRB regional directors held that professors were managers and thus ineligible for collective bargaining rights. These last two decisions disappointed those who believed that the Great Falls and Manhattan cases represented a weakening of the obstacles to private-sector organizing established by National Labor Relations Board v. Yeshiva University. In 1980 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that faculty members at Yeshiva University, a private institution in New York City, were managers and therefore ineligible to unionize under the National Labor Relations Act.
But even though unions may not be protected by law at the Sage Colleges or Sacred Heart, neither those unions nor other faculty organizations are illegal. Faculty members may form organizations to advance their goals whether or not the NLRB awards them the specific right to bargain collectively. The AAUP regards collective bargaining as an effective tool for achieving faculty goals, but winning a union election and obtaining bargaining rights are not ends unto themselves. Often, faculty goals can be achieved through other kinds of organized action, including sustained and concerted efforts by AAUP chapters.
Individuals organize themselves into collectives for different reasons. For faculty, these reasons might include the desire to protect academic freedom, strengthen faculty governance, bring faculty salaries in line with those at comparable institutions, or maintain control of intellectual property. For an organization to succeed, the concerns motivating its creation must be significant and widely shared.
Individuals also organize themselves in different ways. Forming a certified union is one of those ways, but it may not be the best way, and it may not always be possible. A strong faculty organization often resembles a faculty union, and if it is supported by a clear majority of the faculty, it becomes the de facto representative of the faculty. Whether the goal is to establish a collective bargaining unit or to come to an agreement with administrators on a thorny budgetary issue, faculty organizing is essential.
To build a successful faculty organization, several elements are needed in addition to shared concerns. Concrete assets such as an office, letterhead, a bank account, and elected officers are important to establish an organizational identity independent of one or several individuals. A faculty organization must also provide some service to its members if it is to retain their interest and support. The kinds of services provided depend on individual campus conditions and concerns. Examples include a newsletter that reports on issues such as campus parking, health plans, or regional salary information; financial-planning workshops; or assistance in navigating a university's promotion and tenure procedures.
Communication is critical, both between organizational leaders and members and between the organization and the administration. Accurately representing the faculty's views and being perceived as fair by all constituents is key to an organization's success. Be as ready to listen to your members as to talk to them, and as ready to compliment the administration for its good decisions as to criticize its bad ones.
The AAUP staff and experienced faculty volunteers frequently provide assistance to those wishing to establish, revive, or fortify AAUP chapters on their campuses. For details, call the Association's Department of Organizing and Services at (202) 737-5900.
|