Reasons to Join the Union

Why you should join?

What good are unions?

Take a short aptitude test

What has the New College chapter of UFF done for me?

What benefits has UFF brought to New College?

How much is it?

Aren't I already in the Union?

How do I join?

Why You Should Join NCUFF?

  • Because the NCUFF negotiates with the New College administration the collective bargaining agreement that determines our salaries and conditions and terms of employment.

  • Because more members means a stronger union and a better agreement.

  • Because the collective bargaining agreement has the status of law, and is therefore enforceable by the grievance and arbitration procedure.

  • Because without a grievance procedure, the only way to defend your rights would be for you to hire a lawyer and sue the university over issues like academic freedom, assignments, evaluations, leaves, tenure, discrimination, discipline, intellectual property rights, summer pay, and a host of other issues.

  • Because membership brings a $1 million liability insurance policy, in case you are sued in connection with your job.

  • Because you have a free consultation with an attorney on non-employment related issues, and reduced attorney charges if you need to retain one.

  • Because you can save hundreds of dollars a year on your auto and home insurance.

  • Do your part in making improvements to our collective bargaining agreement!

Join!

Download the Membership Form

What good are unions?

See for your yourself in the comparison of earnings of union and non-union workers (source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2004-2005):

 

 

 


 

Furthermore, the 2004-05 National Salary Survey By Discipline and Rank in Four-Year Colleges and Universities (done by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources) finds:

Discipline Non-Union weighted

average salary

 Union weighted

average salary
Foreign Languages, Literature, and Linguistics 54,587 62.909
English Language and Literature/Letters 52,037 59, 775
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 54,144 55,615
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 68,411 69,724
Mathematics an d Statistics 60,997 68,185
Philosophy and Religious Studies 58,468 68,718
Psychology 62,169 67,767
Social Sciences 63,713 67,738
Visual and Performing Arts 53,117 60,496
History 58,807 64,268
All Disciplines Combined 65,875 68,453

A Short Aptitude Test

Which of these diagrams best reflects the relationship between the number of union members and the quality of a contract?

 

A.     The quality rises as the membership rises.

B.     The quality decreases as the membership rises.

 

A                                           B

 

 

 

What has NCUFF done for me?

Your colleagues worked hard to have union representation at New College. Without their efforts we would not have:

 

1)A contract that:

a.Best reflects the particular working conditions at New College

b.Protects the Faculty Handbook, and hence faculty governance, from unilateral incursion by the BOT.

c.Protects new faculty particularly after the third-year retention vote.

d.Provides specific guidelines for promotion for professional staff, teaching-and-research faculty, and librarians

e.Provides the right to not have summer months counted toward your parental leave

f.Many other contractual protections easily accessible through the on-line contract (pdf).

2)A wage increase of 3% for the 2004-2005 academic year.

3)People ready to help you address your grievances, informing you of your rights and possible options

4)Local lawyers who offer two 30-minute sessions for free, and reduced rates there on.

5)Child care reimbursement to facilitate your attendance to union meetings

6)Union members ready to volunteer their time engaging in the yearly salary negotiations outlined in our contract, seeking always to improve your working conditions

 

What benefits has UFF brought to New College?

 

Through our affiliation to UFF, for the 2003-2004 academic year, the union applied pressure to the Legislature to change a 2.5% bonus into a 2.5% raise. Without the union, all faculty would have made 2.5% less for each of the past two years. UFF pressure on the Legislature also played an important role in the 3.6% increase for the 2005-2006 academic year.

 

UFF provided the necessary training, guidance, and legal support for our contract negotiations. UFF's affiliation to NEA provided the financial support that helped us with our membership drive. It was helpful in putting us among the top two leading institution in terms of proportional size in membership.

 

UFF, through its legislative actions, has protected New College, as well as all other institutions, from the attempt to infringe upon our academic freedom rights. This is exemplified by the first victory against the so called 'Academic Bill of Rights' that would have given students the rights to sue professors and universities for not providing what they consider to be a balanced presentation of world views.

 

UFF has fought the Governor's efforts to end unionism at our universities; successfully challenging the attempt to make the 2001-2003 contract non-binding for the new local BOTs.

 

UFF's own list of benefits.

How much is 1% of salary?

9 Month Salary  Weekly Dues Something to do without
$25000   $6.41  Bagel with Cream Cheese and Orange Juice. Save a few calories.
$50000 $12.82 Movie and Popcorn for one person. Have you seen any bad movies lately?
$75000 $19.23  Bottle of Domestic Wine. Have one bottle of wine, instead of two.
$100000 $25.64 Car Washed and Waxed. Get some exercise, do it yourself.

                                   

Aren't I already covered by the Union

Yes. The Union at New College is an open shop, meaning that every faculty member is covered by the collective bargaining agreement without becoming a member of the Union. However, if everyone did this, then there would be no Union. This is particularly true now. We are now a separate entity unto ourselves. We bargain directly with the Board of Trustees. We no longer have the power of a large statewide membership behind us at the bargaining table. The only membership that will affect the Board of Trustees is the number of members at New College. Furthermore, membership gives you the right to shape your union's agenda and its leadership.

 

The Union Contract covers a lot more than salary

Academic Freedom

Nondiscrimination

Self Governance

Grievance Process

Promotion Guidelines

Professional Development Benefits (coverage of your own educational fulfillment)

Parental Leave

NCUFF also is negotiating improvements on:

Promotions for professional specialists

Health care benefits

Domestic partner benefits

Tuition benefits for faculty's children

Child care support

Parking benefits

We are also working on:

Clarifying and improving on New College's leave pool policies.

Developing a communications network to facilitate information flow between the union's Executive Committee, the Bargaining Team, NCUFF members, and the whole bargaining unit.

Improving communication between the existing unions at New College, and other external local unions, hence developing a stronger support network.

HOW DO I JOIN?

Simple: Fill out the form, and give it to any of the officers or your division steward. We'll take care of sending the various copies to the appropriate offices. You can get the form by clicking here or by requesting a paper form from the a union officer or one of our Stewards: