Can a union really help regional campus faculty when resources are so scarce?
Absolutely. As a faculty union, we could advocate for the administration to allocate more funds to the regional campuses or at least to ease the unrealistic enrollment targets that regional campuses are routinely penalized for failing to meet. This could provide significant relief to faculty who are struggling with ever-increasing workloads and resource shortages.
The administration may claim they can’t afford these kinds of changes. When we win our union, we’ll have a right to greater transparency and a way to have a meaningful say in how resources are apportioned. We’re skeptical of the administration’s claims of lack of resources when the university can spare over $2 million trying to stop its employees from organizing.
The administration may claim they can’t afford these kinds of changes. When we win our union, we’ll have a right to greater transparency and a way to have a meaningful say in how resources are apportioned. We’re skeptical of the administration’s claims of lack of resources when the university can spare over $2 million trying to stop its employees from organizing.
What if we organize and the administration decides to close my campus?
There’s nothing to prevent that from happening now. Forming a strong faculty union that stands against campus closures could exert pressure on the administration to keep the regional campuses open. If one of the regional campuses were to be closed, having a union would mean we’d be able to negotiate for severance packages, rehire and transfer options, and other policies that could create a softer landing for anyone who might be displaced. Without a union, faculty on a campus that closed would be left with whatever scraps the administration decided to offer.
Will having a union mean the Oakland campus will have even more control over the regional campuses?
No. Under the status quo, Pitt’s administration at the Oakland campus can unilaterally impose policies on the regional campuses at their discretion and at any time. The autonomy enjoyed by some regional campus faculty will exist only as long as it is convenient for the administration. The recent “transition” of the Titusville campus into a “jobs training hub” and accompanying termination of many faculty members there is a powerful example of this. The only way to ensure any amount of autonomy for regional campus faculty is to codify it in a legally binding contract negotiated with our union that explicitly vests more decision-making authority in the faculty at these campuses and prohibits unilateral changes by the administration.
Will the union impose a “one size fits all” contract on the faculty across all of Pitt’s campuses?
No. At other large universities, the faculty have negotiated collective-bargaining agreements (CBAs) which include separate clauses addressing the specific needs and existing realities of their various schools, campuses, and departments. Recognizing the distinct character of each campus, we plan to do the same at Pitt. It is our intention that the group of faculty members who we elect to bargain our contract should include representatives from all of Pitt’s campuses to ensure that everyone has a voice in negotiations.
Will the union create rigid work rules for the faculty (e.g. prescribing a specific number of office hours, or prohibiting faculty from working at certain times)?
Very unlikely. Some faculty colleagues at the regional campuses have raised concerns about a rule in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) schools that requires a specific number of days and hours in the office. It is important to note that this rule existed before PASSHE faculty formed their union. It was not a proposal by the union, and it continues to exist because the members at those institutions have not prioritized changing it. Our union is a democratic organization, and our bargaining team will bring proposals to the negotiating table based on data from a bargaining survey that will give every faculty member a chance to voice their priorities. Before any contract is ratified, you and every other faculty member will have a chance to vote on it. That means that widely unpopular ideas are unlikely to be put forward as proposals at all, and even less likely to appear in the ratified agreement. Based on hundreds of conversations with faculty at every Pitt campus, we’ve found that no one on any campus is interested in creating more demanding or rigid rules about faculty work schedules.
As this process moves forward, will I be in a minority among my colleagues if I support the union?
Definitely not! In any organizing campaign, it is common for there to be a few loud opponents of the union. Sometimes, these individuals are in positions of power and can frighten union advocates into silence, creating the impression that the union does not enjoy widespread support. The facts are these: not everyone has made up their mind about the union yet, but based on conversations with a majority of the faculty members who work at Pitt’s various campuses, we are confident that opponents of the union are in the minority on every Pitt campus.
Have other questions or concerns? Please contact [email protected], and a faculty colleague from the Organizing Committee will be in touch.
