University administrators and adjunct faculty union leaders will soon begin collective bargaining negotiations after an almost three-year legal fight ended last month.
The University has decided not to further appeal a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals to allow a vote to create an adjunct faculty union. A preliminary meeting is set for this week and the negotiations could start as soon as next month.
“We have requested that negotiations begin by the third week of February,” said Kip Lornell, an adjunct professor of music and union leader.
A statement in early December announced that GW would not continue the legal battle after the D.C. Court of Appeals denied a GW appeal. GW challenged the ruling of the National Labor Relations Board that upheld the unionization vote by part time faculty in 2004. GW contended that nearly 30 independent contractors who were eligible to vote were not aware of the election and their vote.
The D.C. Court of Appeals in a unanimous three-judge decision favored the union’s vote and denied GW the appeal. The University was left to make a decision of either appealing to a the U.S. Supreme Court or the full D.C. Court of Appeals, or dropping the legal case and begin negotiations. In mid-December the University decided to end the legal fight.
“We’re looking for a fair and equitable contract that has both job security for the professors and respect for their role as educators,” said Sean Carr, Communications Director for the Service Employees International Union Local 500, of which the adjunct union is a part.
Kathy Larson, a University Writing adjunct professor said it has not yet been determined who would be eligible for potential benefits.
“The primary goals are salary increases, year-to-year contracts as opposed to single semester contingencies and health and pension benefits for eligible faculty,” Larson said.
Director of Media Relations Tracy Schario said it is too early to talk about potential outcomes of upcoming negotiations.
“We will go to the negotiating table to bargain in good faith,” Schario said. “But, at this point, it’s premature to talk of any details or speculation.”
Union leaders were both hopeful and skeptical of upcoming negotiations.
“I think that there is a fair amount of overlap between the union and the administration, and I hope we can see eye to eye on what’s good for the university,” said Larson. “Our interests are in improving working conditions, and I’m hoping GW’s interests coincide with us.”
Adjunct professor of music Jim Levy was less optimistic.
“The administration, they want to pay as little as possible,” he said. “One thing that everyone should realize, just because this is a University doesn’t mean that the University is any more genteel than the Ford plant back in the 1930s.”
Schario said that this week’s meeting is designed to formulate the processes and rules of the upcoming negotiations.
“We’re going to listen and set some parameters for negotiation,” she said.
Neither side has finalized a list of negotiators. Lornell said the union side will likely consist of two or three union officials and a group of eight to 10 faculty members. Schario said the University will likely be represented by University administrators, University labor attorney Susan Kaplan and lawyers from Washington firms.
