Respect Our Voice, Respect Our Vote

Open Letter Calling on USC to Respect RTPC Faculty’s Democratic Choice

We RTPC – i.e. non-tenure track full-time, part-time, and adjunct – faculty play an indispensable role in making USC a world-class university. Our work advances the core teaching, research and clinical practice missions of the university, all of which make USC not just a hub of innovation and education but also a major economic engine of the city of Los Angeles.

Over the past year, a majority of us have signed cards in support of forming our faculty union so that we can establish a real, meaningful voice on campus and negotiate a strong contract that improves working conditions and enhances our ability to provide quality teaching and research.

Unfortunately, USC has so far refused to honor our desire for a stronger voice. They have instead forced us into legal proceedings in an effort to block our right to a democratic vote on unionization, even though thousands of faculty like us have formed unions at other universities across the country.

As we enter a time when so many aspects of higher education – and even democracy itself – are under attack, it is deeply disappointing that USC would attempt to undermine our right to a democratic vote on a union.

However, it is not too late for USC to do the right thing. The university is free at any time to refrain from further legal maneuvering to delay or undermine our vote. We therefore urge the University to publicly commit to:

Respect our voice: should the NLRB schedule an election, refrain from any further legal efforts to undermine a democratic vote.
Respect our vote: if a majority of us vote to form our union, immediately engage in good-faith collective bargaining.

Join the majority by adding your name to the Open Letter urging USC to