It’s uplifting to see such a vibrant discussion among non-tenure-track/RTPC faculty across campus about our upcoming union election. Those of us who support voting yes feel confident we can improve our lives at USC through collective bargaining, as thousands of other faculty have done across the U.S. in recent years. We also want to reiterate how important it is for all eligible faculty to make an informed choice and participate in this historic vote. See more info below, and remember to follow our Instagram to stay in the loop!
As part of our effort to foster informed discussion of unionization, we encourage faculty to check out our updated United Faculty-UAW website. It includes empirical examples of what other unionized faculty have won through collective bargaining, such as: NYU, where full-time contract faculty won $14k minimum salary increases for the coming year and “presumption of renewal” job security protections; and Barnard College where part-time and full-time faculty won major pay increases (between 18.6% – 40%) in their 2022 contract.
The website also includes our regularly updated FAQ, which covers topics like the relationship between collective bargaining and shared governance, whether USC can implement raises and promotions during contract negotiations, how a union can represent faculty in a diverse group of schools/departments, and understanding the recent communications from the Provost.
Lastly, please attend our next informational town hall next Thursday at 11am on Zoom. It’s a great opportunity to ask outstanding questions and hear from fellow faculty, and we will be joined by both full-time and adjunct faculty from NYU with firsthand experience negotiating contracts with an institution that, like USC, is large and diverse.
We hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
The UF-UAW Organizing Committee