Q. Why should I get involved with an adjunct union when I don’t know if I’ll be teaching here in a year?
A. If not you, then who? Adjuncts who are currently employed at Arcadia University have a vote over whether they and future generations of adjuncts get to have a meaningful voice in determining their pay and working conditions. Also, any improvements we can make here can serve to raise standards for adjuncts at other institutions across the country.
Q. Will the union make me go on strike?
A. Strikes are ALWAYS a last resort, and such an action would require a democratic vote of the membership. Short of striking, there is an array of tactics we can use to put pressure on the Arcadia administration to settle a good contract, without threatening the external funding that supports us.
Q. How much are union dues?
A. Union dues are set by a democratic vote of the membership. They are typically between 1-2% for adjuncts.
Q. What can the union guarantee me?
A. There are no guarantees, except that as a group we will get a seat at the table with administration to negotiate a contract. We can propose the changes we’d like to see in the job and preserve the things we currently like and, unlike now, the administration will have to negotiate with us over changes they want to make in our salaries and benefits.
Q. Will my present job be put in jeopardy if I vote yes or no?
A. Organizing and supporting a union is a legally protected activity. It is illegal for any college to discriminate against an employee in terms of hiring, firing, layoffs or promotions because of their union activity. If you feel this has occurred, please contact the union office immediately.
Q. I’m an international adjunct. If I join the union, will the university retaliate against me? Will I be in danger of losing my job or deportation, or of not being able to get a visa in the future?
A. Absolutely not.
Employees, regardless of national origin or visa status, are protected from retaliation due to union or other protected concerted activity by the National Labor Relations Act. Employees simply cannot be disciplined for engaging in union activity or expressing their support for the union.
Further, every employee, regardless of national origin or type of visa, has the right to join a union as part of his/her right to freedom of association guaranteed in the United States Constitution. This right is constitutionally protected for all persons in the United States—not just for citizens. Therefore, it is against the law for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration services to ask questions about union membership or legal union activities, or to take any such information to consideration when reviewing future visa applications.
Arcadia University itself has publicly committed to ensuring equal opportunity to all persons and not to discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, race, color, religion, creed, sex/gender, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity, military and military veteran status, age, or disability. Further, the University adds, “Discriminatory conduct and harassment, including sexual harassment, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated.”
That discrimination exists against immigrants to the United States, however, is clear. This is even more of a reason that international adjuncts should join the UAP, vote to form a union and help fight for more protections.
Q. What steps is UAP and its affiliated organizations taking to protect immigrant members in light of the Trump administration’s executive orders?
A. Our parent union, the American Federation of Teachers, is actively engaged in fighting President Trump’s executive orders politically, via litigation and in activity with allied organizations including the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee. Further, AFT, via its relationships with Members of Congress, has helped to make sure that members who were affected by the first Executive Order in January have been able to return to the US and work freely here.
Q. What is UAP?
A. United Academics of Philadelphia, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 9608 is an organization that seeks to unify and support the nearly 15,000 adjunct instructors currently working in Philadelphia-area colleges. As a vital but often underrepresented element of higher education, UAP believes that together adjuncts can accomplish what cannot achieve as individuals. To ensure respect, security, fair pay and benefits from our institutions of employment, UAP is advocating for the unionization of adjuncts at Philadelphia-area colleges. Members from colleges and universities across the region with and without collective bargaining agreements are becoming members of UAP.
Q. What is the AFT?
A. The American Federation of Teachers is a union that represents more than 1.3 million professionals in higher education, healthcare, public employment and K-12 school districts across the country. Representing more than 200,000 professionals in the country, 100,000 who are contingent faculty, makes the AFT the largest union in higher education. For more information, check out http://www.reclaimhighered.org/ and http://www.aft.org