PART-TIME FACULTY ARE UNITING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

That’s why adjunct and contingent faculty from coast to coast, including Washington, D.C., Boston, Los Angeles and the Twin Cities are coming together in SEIU to build a Metro-wide movement to raise professional standards for our students and ourselves.

“Like many part-time faculty, I try to put together a teaching career in a number of different institutions, yet struggle with low pay, lack of job security and no benefits. So, I got involved in organizing and worked hard at reaching out to my colleagues. Now with the new contract at GW, we are finally making the improvements we want to see.”

Megan DavisAdjunct Professor, George Washington University

For an example of what we can achieve when we work together, take a look at the significant gains adjunct faculty at George Washington University have won since becoming SEIU members:

• The first across-the-board salary increase since 1999;• Job security against unjustified dismissal and discipline;• A voice in the methods for evaluating and assessing faculty members’ performance;• A joint labor-management committee to collaboratively ensure a quality education is

being provided; and • Access to retirement benefits.

For more information about our efforts to raise standards in the Twin Cities and across the country, go to adjunctaction. A Project of SEIU

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FORMING A UNION WITH SEIU

Who is SEIU?SEIU is the Service Employees International Union. It is the largest and fastest-growing union in the country, representing 2.1 million members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. SEIU represents 75,000 members in public and private higher education in the United States, 18,000 of whom are college and university part-time and contingent faculty. In the Washington, D.C. area alone, SEIU represents adjunct faculty at American University, George Washington University, Montgomery College and Georgetown University.

How does a union work?Having a union empowers people to make positive changes where they work. What is most important to you: Pay increases? Affordable health insurance? Better working conditions or a retirement plan? Having a union does not guarantee any particular improvement or benefit. But a union is the tool that working people (including college and university faculty) use to make improvements where they work.

What can I do to help?Any adjunct who wants to get involved is welcome to join the SEIU Organizing Committee on their campus. Call or Todd Ricker at 320-616-1543 or email todd.ricker@seiu.org if you want to know more about how to get involved.

What happens after we form our union?After we form our union, we’ll prepare to bargain a first contract. We’ll elect a bargaining team and make sure everyone is represented at the bargaining table. Through a survey, all will have their voices heard on the issues they believe need to be addressed during the bargaining process.

How much are dues?Membership in SEIU is free until: 1) we’ve formed our union; 2) bargained our first contract; and 3) voted as a group to approve our contract. We don’t pay any dues until we know exactly what gains we’ve achieved through bargaining.

Adjunct faculty can find out more about forming a union by calling Denise Welte at 651-256-9101 or mnadjunctaction@gmail.com ■ AdjunctAction.org

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