What is a union?
A union is an organized group of coworkers who use their collective strength to have a voice in their workplace. As a union, workers have the right to collectively bargain for better wages, work hours, workload, benefits, job training and other work-related issues.
Are there unions currently at au?
Yes! Currently the adjunct faculty and graduate workers both have unions with SEIU Local 500. They enjoy ongoing benefits of union contracts and positive problem-solving relationships with the administration.
Through collective bargaining, AU adjunct faculty have increased their rates of pay, secured professional development funds, improved their job security, and more. AU graduate workers similarly have won pay increases, improved health care, job protections, and more. You can find out more about the AU Adjunct and Graduate Worker Unions, as well as the other institutions of higher education in our area that are unionized with SEIU Local 500, at www.seiu500.org.
Now, we are following in the footsteps of the adjunct faculty and graduate workers by organizing a staff union with SEIU Local 500.
Through collective bargaining, AU adjunct faculty have increased their rates of pay, secured professional development funds, improved their job security, and more. AU graduate workers similarly have won pay increases, improved health care, job protections, and more. You can find out more about the AU Adjunct and Graduate Worker Unions, as well as the other institutions of higher education in our area that are unionized with SEIU Local 500, at www.seiu500.org.
Now, we are following in the footsteps of the adjunct faculty and graduate workers by organizing a staff union with SEIU Local 500.
why are we forming a union?
AU staff are coming together to have protected bargaining rights and a say in our working conditions and the priorities of AU as an institution. We make significant contributions to the university through our supportive roles and administrative work. We want an opportunity to be fairly recognized for these contributions.
Through collective bargaining, we have the opportunity to work towards transparent, reliable employment practices, clear expectations, fair workloads, fair wages and benefits that will allow us to do our work effectively and thus help enable high-quality learning experiences on our campus
By organizing a union we can negotiate better working conditions, higher wages, better access to services and support, increased benefits, and a platform from which to address our concerns. Any issue having to do with our terms and conditions of employment can be negotiated.
Through collective bargaining, we have the opportunity to work towards transparent, reliable employment practices, clear expectations, fair workloads, fair wages and benefits that will allow us to do our work effectively and thus help enable high-quality learning experiences on our campus
By organizing a union we can negotiate better working conditions, higher wages, better access to services and support, increased benefits, and a platform from which to address our concerns. Any issue having to do with our terms and conditions of employment can be negotiated.
what is collective bargaining?
Collective bargaining is the process through which employees, working together as a union, bargain with our employer to determine the terms of our employment, resulting in a legal contract called a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), or union contract.
After the NLRB certifies the union election, AU staff will have the right to bargain for our first union contract. The AU administration has the legal duty to bargain with us in good faith, in an honest and open effort to discuss our employment conditions. Both parties will work together to come to an agreement on areas of mutual interest and concern including:
After the NLRB certifies the union election, AU staff will have the right to bargain for our first union contract. The AU administration has the legal duty to bargain with us in good faith, in an honest and open effort to discuss our employment conditions. Both parties will work together to come to an agreement on areas of mutual interest and concern including:
- Compensation and benefits
- Job health and safety conditions
- Performance review systems that fairly assess employees
- Training and mentoring for skills improvement and career advancement
who will be on the au staff bargaining committee?
That’s up to us! We get to decide which of our colleagues represent us when it comes to bargaining our contact with the administration. The Bargaining Committee, with the help of SEIU Local 500 negotiators, will represent staff in bargaining with AU, ensuring that all our voices and interests are represented and protected throughout the process. Once the Bargaining Committee believes they have reached the best contract possible, they will bring it back to the union for all of us to vote to approve.
How do you form a union?
The process of forming a union is a democratic one in which the election is administered by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The first concrete step is for supportive staff members to sign a confidential union authorization card at http:/bit.ly/AUStaffUnion. Those union authorization cards act as a petition with the NLRB showing there is interest among AU staff in having a union. The names on the petition are confidential. The NLRB then carries out a secret ballot election for AU staff to vote to form a union.
who is the staff union for?
The AU Staff Union/SEIU Local 500 is for all AU staff. Whether you advise students, schedule events, coordinate programs, or ensure our facilities remain in top shape, we are seeking to build power for all staff and create working conditions that allow all members of our community to thrive.
Right now, staff in the Academic Affairs division will be the first division of staff to vote and officially join the union, paving the way as an example to all staff that organizing and winning a union is possible. We envision a university where all workers have the right to collectively bargain with AU and to be recognized for our essential role in upholding AU’s mission and values.
No matter your division, supervisors, generally understood as those who direct policy and/or supervise staff, are excluded from the staff union per NLRB rules.
Right now, staff in the Academic Affairs division will be the first division of staff to vote and officially join the union, paving the way as an example to all staff that organizing and winning a union is possible. We envision a university where all workers have the right to collectively bargain with AU and to be recognized for our essential role in upholding AU’s mission and values.
No matter your division, supervisors, generally understood as those who direct policy and/or supervise staff, are excluded from the staff union per NLRB rules.
i'm not in academic affairs, but i want to be in the union. What do i do?
That’s great! The first and most important thing you can do is to sign a confidential union authorization card at bit.ly/AUStaffUnion.
The second thing is to know you are not alone. Many of our colleagues across divisions support the union and are ready to get to the bargaining table as quickly as possible. Your support brings your division one step closer to addressing what staff need to do our best work.
Reach out to us AUstaffunion@gmail.com and let’s talk more about what you, your division or department need and how we can hold AU accountable to meet those needs through concrete improvements to our working conditions.
The second thing is to know you are not alone. Many of our colleagues across divisions support the union and are ready to get to the bargaining table as quickly as possible. Your support brings your division one step closer to addressing what staff need to do our best work.
Reach out to us AUstaffunion@gmail.com and let’s talk more about what you, your division or department need and how we can hold AU accountable to meet those needs through concrete improvements to our working conditions.
Does the AU administration want us to have a union?
Forming a union is up for staff to decide. This is our choice, not the administration’s.
Without a union, the administration has the sole power to make decisions regarding all aspects of our working conditions. This was most recently made evident when merit increases were cut, retirement matching was ended, upcoming furloughs were announced, and certain staff were required to return to campus amidst a pandemic, all without our input.
We suspect that, like most employers, the AU administration prefers to maintain their ability to make unilateral decisions without our input. As such, we expect the AU administration, like most employers, to dissuade AU staff from exercising our right to unionize with continued communication that frames unionizing as a risky process for staff.
While it is disappointing to see the AU administration play a role in a process that is exclusively meant to be ours, it is not unexpected. While the AU administration made similar attempts to dissuade adjunct faculty and graduate workers, our colleagues were able to decisively win their union elections and move forward with a collaborative bargaining relationship with AU leadership. The AU administration has already promised to do the same for staff once we have won our election and are officially recognized as a union. It is their legal obligation to do so.
Without a union, the administration has the sole power to make decisions regarding all aspects of our working conditions. This was most recently made evident when merit increases were cut, retirement matching was ended, upcoming furloughs were announced, and certain staff were required to return to campus amidst a pandemic, all without our input.
We suspect that, like most employers, the AU administration prefers to maintain their ability to make unilateral decisions without our input. As such, we expect the AU administration, like most employers, to dissuade AU staff from exercising our right to unionize with continued communication that frames unionizing as a risky process for staff.
While it is disappointing to see the AU administration play a role in a process that is exclusively meant to be ours, it is not unexpected. While the AU administration made similar attempts to dissuade adjunct faculty and graduate workers, our colleagues were able to decisively win their union elections and move forward with a collaborative bargaining relationship with AU leadership. The AU administration has already promised to do the same for staff once we have won our election and are officially recognized as a union. It is their legal obligation to do so.
can au discipline me for participating in union organizing?
It is against the law for an employer to take any action against an employee for organizing or attempting to organize a union. If you experience or suspect any disciplinary action as a result of participating in union organizing, SEIU Local 500 will help provide the resources to you and your colleagues to pursue legal action, at no cost to you.
How will the AU administration Respond to our organizing?
While we hope the AU administration will remain neutral and will respect our legal right to organize, we also know that it is common for administrations to interfere when workers organize by spreading misinformation about the union. Administrations will often make claims about how organizing is futile. They often exaggerate dues costs, and attempt to portray our union as an external third party trying to interfere with our relationships on campus.
will i have to pay dues?
SEIU Local 500 is a member-run and member-funded organization. Member dues pay for bargaining contracts, enforcing contracts, organizing new members, and the day to day running of the organization. Staff at AU are able to organize our union now because of the resources provided by thousands of Local 500 members who are working and paying their union dues. We look forward to being able to participate as dues-paying union members when our first contract is ratified.
All members of SEIU Local 500 pay dues to build and maintain a strong union and a powerful labor movement. We will not pay any dues until after we ratify our first contract. Based on the dues paid by other members of the union, we anticipate that our dues will be between $20 and $25 per pay period.
All members of SEIU Local 500 pay dues to build and maintain a strong union and a powerful labor movement. We will not pay any dues until after we ratify our first contract. Based on the dues paid by other members of the union, we anticipate that our dues will be between $20 and $25 per pay period.
How can i support the union?
For AU staff:
If you haven’t already done so, sign a union authorization card. This is a commitment to your colleagues to support your union, and also serves as a petition to the NLRB to show we are interested in forming a union: http:/bit.ly/AUStaffUnion.
The next step is to join staff from across campus in showing your support for the AU Staff Union! Add your name alongside staff from across campus by signing onto our public letter. You can also tell us why you support the AU Staff Union by submitting a public testimonial. Finally, talk to your colleagues about why you support the union!. Encourage your colleagues to join you in improving the work conditions of AU staff.
For faculty, student, alumni, or community members:
We ask that you stand in solidarity with AU Staff as we assert our right to protect ourselves and our livelihoods by forming our union. Show your support by adding your name to our public statement of support.
For more information, please contact the AU Staff Union Organizing Committee at AUStaffUnion@gmail.com.
If you haven’t already done so, sign a union authorization card. This is a commitment to your colleagues to support your union, and also serves as a petition to the NLRB to show we are interested in forming a union: http:/bit.ly/AUStaffUnion.
The next step is to join staff from across campus in showing your support for the AU Staff Union! Add your name alongside staff from across campus by signing onto our public letter. You can also tell us why you support the AU Staff Union by submitting a public testimonial. Finally, talk to your colleagues about why you support the union!. Encourage your colleagues to join you in improving the work conditions of AU staff.
For faculty, student, alumni, or community members:
We ask that you stand in solidarity with AU Staff as we assert our right to protect ourselves and our livelihoods by forming our union. Show your support by adding your name to our public statement of support.
For more information, please contact the AU Staff Union Organizing Committee at AUStaffUnion@gmail.com.
For more information, please contact the AU Organizing Committee at AUStaffUnion@gmail.com