Due to a major omission of facts in the latest Provost email, we – as people who think facts matter – feel compelled to offer clarifying information. Yesterday’s email from the Provost included a major distortion of the “reality” of NYU full-time faculty’s contract. Please find more concrete, clarifying information below.
First and foremost, the Provost’s office omits any reference to the massive Year 1 pay increase for all faculty in the NYU union contract. It is common in union contracts to win a large increase in the first year. At NYU, this first year increase was an average of 16% – ranging from $14,000 to more than $35,000 per faculty member – which is omitted entirely in yesterday’s email. This egregious omission skews the reality of what faculty won at NYU, which is a disservice to USC faculty looking to make an informed decision in our election.
The Provost’s email similarly leaves out key information about the reality of how dues and the collective bargaining process work. Dues are an important part of having a union, as they provide resources necessary for effective representation. But in the UAW, we do not pay dues until we vote to approve our first contract. At NYU, faculty voted to form their union, elected a bargaining committee of fellow faculty, determined priorities, and waged a campaign to achieve those priorities. In the end, 81% of all NTT faculty voted to approve major gains in compensation, job security, academic freedom, and other areas as their first contract. Now they are signing up as members of their union. At USC, we would similarly elect a bargaining committee, determine our own priorities and vote on whether to approve any agreement as our contract before any of us start paying dues or fees.
Without a union, USC faculty have dealt with vast unpredictability in our working conditions from year to year – including two freezes to merit increases in the last six years, unpredictable yearly increases, the rolling back of our retirement benefits during the pandemic, reduction of our tuition assistance benefits, increased healthcare costs, and more. The clarity, predictability, and security of a union contract can enable us to plan our lives more effectively, and to provide higher quality teaching, research, and care. This is why many of us have cast our ballots to vote yes.
For more holistic information about what it means to form our union, please find more information on our website, or reach out directly.
Sincerely,
The United Faculty-UAW Organizing Committee