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April 2025 Newsletter

William A. Herbert, Executive Editor

Daniel Cronin, Student Editor

Jenna Salem, Student Editor

In this month's newsletter we provide the first set of videos and pictures from our annual conference in March. We also report on new bargaining units at Nevada State University, Anne Arundel Community College, Icahn School of Medicine, and California Institute of the Arts along with news about pending representation cases at the School of Visual Arts, Stevenson University, Georgetown University, Simmons University, the SUNY Research Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, and Nazareth University.

Our newsletter also includes information concerning a survey being conducted by the Government Accounting Office, an independent, nonpartisan, legislative agency, as part of its independent study on compensation, benefits, and recruitment and retention experiences of STEM graduate researchers and postdoctoral scholars.

In addition, the newsletter provides information about the recent growth in unionization about museum workers and links to articles from the most recent volume of the Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy.

Lastly, we must remind ourselves that the defense of higher education, collective bargaining, academic freedom, justice, equality, and democracy itself, will require unity, creativity, and fortitude. As Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon's Ella's Song teaches us: "We who believe in freedom cannot rest. We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes."

Thank You for Another Successful Annual National Conference

We thank the speakers, moderators, and conference attendees for a very successful 52nd National Center Annual Conference last month.

The theme of the annual conference was Unity in Defense of Higher Education and Collective Bargaining. The program was designed to help build an alliance of stakeholders within higher education to protect and defend our shared fundamental values in these extraordinary times. The full conference program can be downloaded here.

The success of the conference would not have been possible without the support and assistance of Hunter College President Cantor, the National Center Board of Advisors, along with the staff at Roosevelt House, the CUNY Graduate Center, and our conference staff and volunteers.

Below are links to recordings of the welcoming remarks and presentations made on the first day of the annual conference. We thank the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute staff for their assistance on the video production. Links to additional recordings from the annual conference will be available in future newsletters.

Welcoming Remarks with William A. Herbert, Executive Director, National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions, Hunter College, CUNY, Manoj Pardasani, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Hunter College, CUNY, Malini Cadambi-Daniel, Executive Director, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY, AFT Local 2334, Ahsan Ali, Senior Director of Labor Relations, Tufts University, and Jessica Baker, Hunter College student and National Center intern.

Keynote Presentation: Unity in Defense of Higher Education and Collective Bargaining with Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers, Lynn Pasquerella, President, American Association of Colleges and Universities, and Adrienne Lu, Senior Reporter, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Moderator.

Research Panel: Presentation on the 2024 Directory of Faculty Contracts and Bargaining Agents in Higher Education with Jacob Apkarian, Associate Professor, Sociology, York College, CUNY, Joseph van der Naald, PhD Candidate in Sociology, Graduate Center, CUNY, Susan Kelly, President, Microsearch Corporation, Mary Taber, Director of Research, UUP, Commentator, Dana Fleming, Associate General Counsel, Tufts University, Commentator, and Malini Cadambi-Daniel, Executive Director, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY, AFT Local 2334, Moderator.

Book Discussion: Organizing Professionals: Academic Employees Negotiating a New Academy with author Gary Rhoades, Professor and Director, Center for the Study of Higher Education, University of Arizona, Richard Gomes, Staff Representative, AFT New Jersey, Jennie Shanker, Staff Representative, AFT New Jersey, Laura Murphy, Dutchess Community College, Dan Echikson, Organizer, ACT-UAW Local 7902, and Ryan Quinn, Reporter, Inside Higher Ed, Moderator.

Photographs from the Annual National Conference

(l-r) National Center Visiting Scholar Karen Stubaus and Hunter College President Nancy Cantor.

(l-r) AACU President Lynn Pasquerella and AFT President Randi Weingarten during keynote presentation.

ArentFox Schiff Associate Nicholas L. Collins discussing AI and collective bargaining.

(l-r) Morgan, Brown & Joy's Joseph P. McConnell and Hofstra University's Provost Emeritus Herman A. Berliner during panel discussion on negotiating over tenure.

Book discussion panel with (l-r) University of Arizona Professor Gary Rhoades,

AFT New Jersey Staff Representatives Richard Gomes and Jennie Shanker, ACT-UAW Local 7902 Organizer Dan Echikson, Dutchess United Educators' Laura Murphy, and Inside Higher Ed Reporter

Ryan Quinn, moderator.

(l-r) Tufts University Associate General Counsel Dana Fleming and UUP's Director of Research Mary Taber during their commentary about the National Center's 2024 Directory of Faculty Contracts and Bargaining Agents in Higher Education.

California Faculty Association President Margarita Berta Avila during a panel discussion on antiracism and social justice Issues and working conditions as

Negotiable Subjects.

(l-r) Former JCCC Faculty Association President and Lead Negotiator Deborah H. Williams, United Faculty of Florida-Tallahassee State College President Martin Balinsky and Oakland Community College Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Andre’ L. Poplar discussing the selection of bargaining team members and dealing with rogue team members.

The National Center's extraordinary group of conference staff and volunteers: (l-r) Amy Jeu, Kim Middleton, Winnie and Greg Johnson, and National Center Administrator Michelle Savarese.

We Thank the 52nd Annual National Conference Sponsors

National Center Newsletter Sponsor

Support the National Center by Purchasing the

Commemorative 52nd Annual Conference T-Shirt

To help support the National Center's mission, research and program, we encourage you to purchase a Commemorative 52nd Annual Conference t-shirt. The shirts are USA made, printed in a union shop, and 100% cotton. To order your t-shirt, click here. Direct any questions to: msavares@hunter.cuny.edu

Virginia: Senate Sustains Governor Veto of Collective Bargaining Bill

On April 2, 2025, the Virginia Senate sustained a veto by Governor Glenn Youngkin of a comprehensive collective bargaining bill that would have extended the right to unionize to those working for the state's public higher education institutions and other public employers. The bill would have also created a new state Public Employee Relations Board to administrator the law.

Nevada State Univ.: AAUP-AFT Recognized to Represent Faculty Unit

On March 6, 2025, the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education and the Nevada Faculty Alliance entered into agreement with the the American

Arbitration Association (AAA) to conduct an election to determine whether a majority of faculty at Nevada State University wanted to be represented by Nevada State University-Nevada Faculty Alliance (NSU-NFA), AAUP-AFT.

An in-person election was conducted by AAA at Nevada State University on April 1 and April 2, 2025. The at-issue faculty bargaining unit included 133 faculty defined as "academic employees issued a contract or letter of appointment by Nevada State University for employment in the professional service of the System for a period exceeding six months at .50 FTE or more, but excluding adjunct faculty members, administrators and clinical faculty members. The AAA tally of ballots, dated April 2, 2025, demonstrated that faculty voted 104-8 in favor of NSU-NFA, AAUP-AFT representation.

The faculty representation election was conducted pursuant to a regulation issued by the Nevada Board of Regents, rather than a public sector collective bargaining law. In the absence of a Nevada state labor relations agency with the authority to conduct representation elections, AAA Election Services was utilized to conduct the election at the Nevada State University. Currently, a bill is pending in the Nevada legislature that would extend collective bargaining rights to all faculty and graduate assistants.

Anne Arundel Comm. Coll.: NEA Certified to Represent TTT Faculty Unit

Anne Arundel Community College, MDPERB Case No. EL 2025-04

On April 16, 2025, the Maryland State Education Association was certified by the Maryland Public Employee Relations Board, following a card check, to represent a unit of approximately 253 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty at the Anne Arundel Community College, located in Arnold, Maryland. SEIU Local 500 has represented a part-time faculty bargaining unit at the college since 2023.

School of Visual Arts: Mail Ballot Faculty Election Scheduled

School of Visual Arts, NLRB Case No. 02-RC-361937

On March 13, 2025, SVA Faculty United-UAW filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of 870 faculty employed by the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

On March 27, 2025, the NLRB issued a notice scheduling a mail ballot election with ballots due to be returned on or before May 13, 2025 and the ballot count scheduled for May 20, 2025 at the NLRB Region 2 office.

The following is a description of the at-issue bargaining unit at the School of Visual Arts:

Included: All faculty members at the School of Visual Arts, including all instructors, who were employed by the Employer during the payroll period ending March 15, 2025.

Excluded: All other employees of the Employer, including Chairs, office clericals, confidential employees,managers, guards, and supervisors, as defined in the Act.

Stevenson University: SEIU Files to Represent PT Faculty

Stevenson University, NLRB Case No. 05-RC-364416

On April 24, 2025, SEIU Local 500 filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of 256 part-time faculty employed by Stevenson University, which is located in Owings Mills, Maryland.

The following is a description of the bargaining unit sought in the representation petition:

Included: All part-time faculty teaching at Stevenson University both in-person or online. Employees.

Excluded: All other employees, full-time faculty, managers, guards and supervisors as defined in the National Labor Relations Act.

Georgetown University: SEIU Seeks to Represent Clinical Law Fellows

Georgetown University, NLRB Case Nos: 05-RC-363188 and 05-RM-363190

On April 4, 2025, petitions were filed concerning SEIU Local 500's effort to represent a unit of approximately 31 full-time Clinical Law Fellows employed at the Georgetown University Law Center’s clinics.

On April 15, 2025, Georgetown University and SEIU Local 500 entered in a stipulated election agreement, the details of which are not currently available.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: UAW Certified to Represent

Bargaining Units of Instructors and Scientists

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NLRB Case No. 02-RC-361883

On April 18, 2025, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-UAW was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent to two bargaining units, one of 99 instructors and one of approximately 129 scientists, employed by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The tallies of ballots by the NLRB on April 10, 2025 demonstrated that the instructors voted 44-2, and the scientists voted 51-5, in favor of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-UAW representation.

The following are the descriptions of the two new bargaining units at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-UAW:

Instructors Unit

Included: All Instructors who predominantly perform research services for the

Employer.

Excluded: All other employees, including all Instructors who predominantly perform

teaching services for the Employer, all Instructors who perform clinical services, office clericals, confidential employees, managers, guards and supervisors as defined in the Act.

Scientists Unit

Included: All Assistant Scientists, Associate Scientists, and Senior Scientists.

Excluded: All other employees, including office clericals, confidential employees,

managers, guards and supervisors as defined in the Act.

Simmons University: SEIU Files Petition to Represent Adjunct Faculty

Simmons University, NLRB Case No. 01-RC-363568

On April 11, 2025, SEIU Local 509 filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of 512 adjunct faculty employed by Simmons University.

The following is a description of the unit sought in SEIU Local 509's representation petition:

Included: All adjunct faculty, adjunct faculty in the role of section instructor, and course liaisons employed by Simmons University at its Massachusetts campuses to teach at least one credit bearing course (including online, hybrid and blended courses) in a degree-granting program.

Excluded: Part-time and full-time lecturers, tenured and non-tenured professors, deans, chairs, provosts, and confidential employees, managers, guards and supervisors as defined in the Act.

California Institute of the Arts: UAW Certified to

Represent Two Faculty and One Administrative Staff Bargaining Units

California Institute of the Arts, NLRB Case Nos. 31-RC-360044, 31-RC-360028,

and 31-RC-360022

31-RC-360044

On April 9, 2025, CalArts United-UAW was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent a unit of 210 special faculty at California Institute of the Arts, following an election in which the faculty voted 127-1 in favor of CalArts United-UAW representation. 

The following is a description of the new special faculty unit at California Institute of the Arts:

Included: All Special Faculty, including associate deans, assistant deans, directors, librarians, lecturers, adjunct faculty, visiting faculty, and program directors or co-directors, that are employed by the Employer on an in-person, remote or hybrid basis at any location, including the Main Campus located at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.

Excluded: All Regular Faculty; CAP Instructors who are not employed as faculty.

Extended Studies Instructors who are not employed as faculty; Administrative employees and Operations Personnel; other represented employees; student workers; and all managerial employees, all confidential employees, guards and supervisors as defined by the Act.

31-RC-360028

On April 9, 2025, CalArts United-UAW was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent a unit of 131 regular and technical faculty at California Institute of the Arts, following an election in which the faculty voted 95-11 in favor of CalArts United-UAW representation. 

The following is a description of the new regular and technical faculty unit at California Institute of the Arts:

Included: All Regular Faculty and Technical Faculty, including associate deans, assistant deans, program directors or co-directors, and librarians that are employed by the Employer on an in-person, remote or hybrid basis at any location, including the Main Campus located at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.

Excluded: All Provosts; Vice Provosts, Assistant Provosts; Deans; Special Faculty; CAP Instructors; Extended Studies Instructors; Administrative employees and Operations Personnel; other represented employees; student workers; and all managerial employees, all confidential employees, guards and supervisors as defined by the Act.

31-RC-360022

On April 9, 2025, CalArts United-UAW was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent a unit of 211 administrative staff at California Institute of the Arts, following an election in which the staff voted 137-20 in favor of CalArts United-UAW representation. 

The following is a description of the new administrative staff unit at California Institute of the Arts:

Included: All regular full-time and part-time Administrative staff including REDCAT Theatre administrative and support staff; employees in the President’s Office; employees in the Provost’s Office; facilities management employees (including Building Maintenance and Grounds employees and Custodial employees); IT employees; Accounting Office employees; Academic Affairs employees; Faculty Affairs employees; Student Services employees; Marketing and Communications employees; Office of Advancement employees; Community Arts Partnership employees; Enrollment Management (including Admissions Office) employees; Library and Information Resources employees; Extended Studies employees; School of Theater employees; School of Film/Video employees; School of Critical Studies employees; School of Dance employees; School of Music employees; School of Art employees (including employees of the East of Borneo journal); Student Experience employees; and Student Success employees (including employees in the Registrar’s Office, the Financial Aid Office and the International Students & Programs Office) employed by the Employer on an in-person, remote or hybrid basis at any location, including the Main Campus located at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355, the REDCAT Theatre located at 631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, and CalArts DTLA located at 1264 West 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90026, and Vista Village located at 25880 Tournament Road, Valencia, CA 91355.

Excluded: All other represented employees; student workers; CAP Instructors; Extended Studies Instructors; Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents; Associate Vice Presidents; Assistant Provosts; Director of Technology Operations; CAP Director; Executive Director Academic Affairs Budget Administration; Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Performing Arts; Deputy Director Finance Operations; Chief Curator, Visual Arts/Deputy Director, Programs; REDCAT Technical Director; Director International Student Services Programs; Director Enrollment Management Systems; Director of Financial Aid; Registrar; Director Community Rights Responsibilities Title IX Coordinator; Director Center for Life & Work; Director of Campus Safety; Senior Director Institutional Giving; Executive Director Institutional Effectiveness; Director of Planed and Major Giving (POSD - Dir of Development, Major Gifts); Executive Director of Facilities Services; Director of Board Governance and Relations; Interim Director Total Rewards; Director, Employee Relations and Development; Director, HR Operations; Controller; and all managerial employees, all confidential employees, guards and supervisors as defined by the Act.

SUNY Research Foundation: CWA Seeks to Represent a Research Assistant Unit at SUNY Binghamton

Research Foundation for the State University of New York,

NLRB Case No. 03-RC-363813

On April 16, 2025, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of approximately 250 full-time and part-time research assistants employed by the private sector SUNY Research Foundation at SUNY Binghamton.

CWA already represents SUNY Research Foundation research assistants at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and SUNY Stony Brook.

The following is a description of the new bargaining unit proposed in the CWA petition:

Included: All full-time and regular part-time Research Assistants aka Research Project Assistants (“RPAs”) employed by the Employer at State University of New York at Binghamton.

Excluded: All other employees, guards, clerical employees, confidential employees and supervisors as defined by the Act.

Univ. of Pennsylvania: UAW Files to Represent Postdoctoral Scholars

Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, NLRB Case No. 04-RC-364372

On April 24, 2025, Research Associates and Postdocs United at Penn-UAW filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of approximately 1,500 postdoctoral researchers who work at the University of Pennsylvania.

The following is a description of the bargaining unit proposed in the representation petition:

Included: All postdoctoral researchers who provide services to the University of Pennsylvania, including Postdoctoral Researchers, Postdoctoral Fellows, NRSA Postdoctoral Fellows, and Research Associates.

Johns Hopkins Univ.: UAW Files to Represent Postdoctoral Scholars

Johns Hopkins University, NLRB Case No. 05-RC-364341

On April 23, 2025, Johns Hopkins Postdoctoral Researchers Organized-UAW filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of approximately 1,600 postdoctoral researchers who at Johns Hopkins University.

The following is a description of the bargaining unit proposed in the representation petition:

Included: All postdoctoral researchers who provide services to Johns Hopkins University. Including, Postdoctoral Fellows, Postdoctoral Research Fellows, Postdoctoral Research Associates, Assistant Research Scientists, and Associate Research Scientists.

Excluded: All other employees, guards and supervisors as defined in the Act.

Nazareth University: AFT-NEA Files Petition for a Professional Unit

Nazareth University, NLRB Case No.: 03-RC-362796

On March 28, 2025, Nazareth United Professionals, NYSUT AFT/NEA/AFL-CIO filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of approximately 148 professional employees working for Nazareth University in Rochester, New York.

The following is a description of the proposed unit in the representation petition:

Included: Administrative Coordinator, Admissions Counselor, Alumni Engagement Officer, Analyst IT Support, Area Director, Assistant Director, Assistant Head of Circulation, Associate Director of Major Giving, Associate Director/Business Analyst, Box Office Coordinator, Clinical Experiences & Partnerships Program Director, Coordinator Accounts Payable, Coordinator Athletics Office, Coordinator Biology Lab, Coordinator Chemistry Lab, Coordinator CSD Operations, Coordinator Development, Coordinator Gift Processing, Coordinator of Data Management, Costume Shop Manager, Counselor Loan, Data Analyst, Data and Operations Specialist, Department Assistant, Department Assistant - Theatre & Dance/Art & Design, Department Assistant|Konar Center Special Assignment, Designer Print & Web Production, Developer of Web and Mobile Technologies Director, Director, Director Emerson Language Lab, Director for Casa Hispana, Director for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Education, Director for Equity and Access in Experiential Education, Director of Academic Support Services, Director of Corporate, Foundations, and Government Relations, Engineer Enterprise & Network Solutions, Enterprise & Network Solutions Technician, Executive Assistant, Financial and Accounts Payable Analyst, Financial and Risk Management Analyst, Front Desk Office Manager, Grant Assistant-Project Rise, Head of Cataloging & Metadata, Head of Ill/Serials Services, HEOP Student Success Counselor, Instructional Technology Specialist, Interfaith Studies Center for Life's Work Regular Student|Manager of Student Employment, Interim Athletic Communication Assistant, IT Business Analyst, IT Project Manager, IT Support Analyst, Lead Academic Counselor/Transfer Student Success, Learning Experience Designer, Expansive Naz Strategic Program, Librarian Reference, Licensed Practical Nurse, Media Production Specialist, Mental Health Counselor I, Mid-Atlantic Regional Admissions Counselor, Muslim Student Association Advisor, Network Security Engineer, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner, Office & Mail Services Supervisor, Operations Specialist, Part-Time Grants Assistant, Patron Services Coordinator, Payroll Coordinator, Production/Stage Manager, Recruitment Communications Specialist, Registered Nurse, Research Analyst, Scene Shop Supervisor, Senior Career Coach, Senior Department Assistant, Senior Department Assistant - Theatre & Dance/Art & Design, Senior Enterprise & Network Solutions Engineer, Senior Financial Analyst, Senior Graphic Designer, Senior Student Accounts Coordinator, Specialist II Technology & Media Support, Staff Collaborative Pianist, Stagehand, Student Account Coordinator, Student Accounts Specialist, Student Success Coordinator, Supervisor Circulation Weekend/Evening, Support - Toc, Systems Librarian, Technical Manager/Audio Engineer, Title III Project Director, Title IX Coordinator, Transfer & Graduate Admissions Operations Specialist, Transfer Admissions Counselor, Visual Storyteller, Weekend/Evening Circulation Supervisor, Writing Center Tutor.

Excluded: Guards, managers, and supervisors as defined in the Act and all other employees.

CSU: SEIU Files to Represent Private Employees at Sacramento State

Associated Students, Inc. of Sacramento State, NLRB Case No. 20-RC-363045

On April 2, 2025, California State University Employees Union (CSUEU)-SEIU filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent a unit of 190 full-time and regular part-time private sector employees working on the campus of California State University, Sacramento. A notice of election was issued on April 24, 2025 scheduling a representation election to take place on May 6 and 7, 2025.

The following is a description of the proposed bargaining unit set forth in the CSUEU-SEIU petition:

Included: All full-time and regular part-time employees employed by the Employer on the campus of California State University Sacramento including those with the titles set forth below: Accountant II Accounting Assistant Accounting Assistant II Accounting Specialist Administrative Assistant 1 Associate Teacher Bike Mechanic Bike Shop Coordinator Bike Shop Technician Challenge Center Facilitator Challenge Center Team Lead Civic Engagement Coordinator Classroom Assistant Communication & Outreach Coordinator Cook CSSA Liaison Customer Service Associate Customer Service Representative Customer Service Representative Elections officer Event Coordinator Events & Productions Assistant Food Pantry Assistant Food Pantry Coordinator Front Desk Government Administrative Assistant Graphic Artist Graphic Designer Head Teacher IT Technician (Desktop Support) Jr. Accountant Kitchen Student Assistant Legislative Affairs Coordinator Maintenance Marketing and Outreach Specialist Marketing Coordinator Music & Productions Assistant Office Associate I Outdoor Trip Leader Program Coordinator Promotions & Events Coordinator Sales Assistant Sales Manager / Specialist Student Representative 2 Student Representative 3 Student Services Coordinator Volunteer & Program Coordinator Youth Camp Counselor

Excluded: all other employees, aquatic center employees, guards, managers, confidential employees, and supervisors as defined by the Act

Museum Workers: Four New Bargaining Units Certified in Past Month

Over the past month, unions have been certified to represent museum workers in Baltimore, Toledo, New York, and Chicago.

The following is information about each new bargaining unit:

Jewish Museum of Maryland, Inc., NLRB Case No. 05-RC-361059

On April 17, 2025, Teamsters Local 355 was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent a unit of 12 full-time and regular part-time employees at the Jewish Museum of Maryland. The certification followed a representation election in which the employees voted 12-0 in favor of Teamsters Local 355 representation.

The following is a description of the new bargaining unit at the Jewish Museum of Maryland:

Included: All full-time and regular part-time employees employed by the Employer at its facility currently located at 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, including Exhibits Manager, Collections Manager, Archivist, Education Program Manager, Performance and Events Manager, Administrative Specialist, Reference Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, Development Coordinator, Visitor Experience Coordinator, Public Art Coordinator, and Production Studio Technician.

Excluded: All office clerical employees, professional employees, temporary employees, managerial employees, guards, and supervisors as defined in the Act.

Toledo Museum of Art, NLRB Case No. 08-RC-362478

On April 25, 2025, AFSCME Ohio Council 8 was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent a unit of 73 full-time and regular part-time employees at Toledo Museum of Art. The certification followed a representation election in which the employees voted 53-11 in favor of AFSCME Ohio Council 8 representation.

The following is a description of the new bargaining unit at the Toledo Museum of Art:

Included: All full-time and regular part-time employees in the following classifications:

Assistant Curator of Ancient Art; Assistant Librarian; Assistant Registrar; Associate

Conservator (Objects); Associate Conservator (Textile Based Collections); Associate

Registrar for Loans & Exhibitions; Conda Family Manager of Access Initiatives;

Conservation Technician; Librarian; Research Associate in American Art; Research

Associate in European Art; Research Associate in Glass & Contemporary Craft; Research

Associate in Modern & Contemporary Art; Works on Paper Collections Care Assistant;

Community Engagement Glass Artist; Conservation & Curatorial Affairs Coordinator;

Data Analyst; Docent & Gallery Engagement Supervisor; Education Coordinator;

Exhibitions Project Manager; Family Center Assistant; Glass Studio Artist; Glass Studio

Specialist; Glass Studio Team Lead; Imaging Specialist; IT Help Desk Technician; Lead

Glass Studio Artist; Marketing Communications Designer; Marketing Operations

Manager; Outreach Assistant; Programs & Events Specialist; Reinstallation Project

Manager; Retail Operations Coordinator; Sales Associates; Sales Floor Supervisor; Senior

Graphic Designer; Social Media Content Specialist; Teaching Artist; Visitor Services

Associates; Visitor Services Team Lead employed by the Employer at its 2444 and 2445

Monroe Street, Toledo, Ohio facilities.

Excluded: All managers, confidential employees, all employees already represented by

another union, guards and supervisors as defined by the Act.

South Street Seaport Museum, NLRB Case No. 02-RC-361587

On April 15, 2025, Technical, Office and Professional Union, Local 2110 UAW, AFL-CIO was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent a unit of 41 full-time and regular part-time non-professional employees at South Street Seaport Museum in Manhattan. The certification followed a representation election in which the employees voted 34-4 in favor of Technical, Office and Professional Union, Local 2110 UAW, AFL-CIO representation.

The following is a description of the new bargaining unit at the South Street Seaport Museum:

Included: All full time and regular part-time non-professional employees employed by the Employer at its museum currently located at 12 Fulton St., New York, NY, 10038 and other places of business located at 207, 209, 211, 213, 215 Water Street, New York, NY 10038 and Pier 16 and its fleet of ships in the East River, New York, NY 10038, the sole facilities involved herein.

Excluded : All confidential employees, supervisory employees, professional employees as defined by the Act, including the following positions: Archives and Special Collections Specialist, Senior Director of Facilities and Operations, President & CEO, Deckhand, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Education and Visitor Experience Manager, Director of HR and Administration, Chief Operating Officer, Vice President of External Affairs, Director of Historic Ships, Captain, Schooner Pioneer, Senior Director, Programs & Education, Senior Designer, Fleet Mate, Director of Marketing and Communications, and Associate Registrar.

Note: The parties agreed that the Shipwright/Waterfront Supervisor, Director of Engagement and Public Programs, Grants Manager, Visitor Experience Senior Supervisor, Billing and Payment Manager, and Wavertree Shipkeeper may vote in the election, but their ballots will be challenged since their eligibility has not been resolved. No decision was made regarding whether the individuals in these classifications are included in or excluded from the bargaining unit. The eligibility or inclusion of these individuals will be resolved, if necessary, if their votes are determinative, their eligibility will be decided in a post-election proceeding before the Regional Director.

Chicago Historical Society, NLRB Case No. 13-RC-360949

On April 15, 2025, AFSCME Council 31 was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent a unit of 61 full-time and regular part-time professional and non-professional employees at the Chicago Historical Society. The certification followed a representation election in which the employees voted 47-6 in favor of AFSCME Council 31 representation.

The following is a description of the new bargaining unit at the Chicago Historical Society:

Included: All full-time and regular part-time professional and non-professional employees

employed by Employer who work in Research and Access, Rights and Reproductions,

Communications, Institutional Advancement, Education, Curatorial, Exhibitions, Visitor Services, Properties, Special Events, Collections, and North & Clark Café at the facility currently located at 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614

Excluded: All other employees, interns, employees at other Employer locations, confidential employees, managerial employees, guards and supervisors as defined by the Act.

Note: The parties agreed that the classifications of Digital Humanities Fellow; Lead Cashier; Visitor Services Operations Coordinator; Visitor Services Ticketing and Reservations Systems Coordinator; Photographer Imaging Specialist; Lead Building

Maintenance Technician; Bar Services Supervisor; and employees who work in the Accounting and Finance Department who are not otherwise excluded may vote in the election but their ballots would be challenged since their eligibility has not been resolved. No decision has been made regarding whether the individuals in these classifications or groups are included in, or excluded from, the bargaining unit.

GAO’s Questionnaire to Help Inform Federal Policy on STEM Graduate Researcher and Postdoc Compensation

Are you a current or recent graduate researcher or postdoc who received federal research funding in the last five years? The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) wants to hear directly from you.

GAO is an independent, nonpartisan, legislative agency conducting an independent study on the compensation, benefits, and recruitment and retention experiences of STEM graduate researchers and postdoctoral scholars (postdocs).

Click the link to get started with their 15-minute questionnaire today.

GAO is not affiliated with the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions, sponsors, or any specific institution. For questions about GAO, see www.gao.gov. If you have any questions about the questionnaire, please reach out to the GAO team at STEMStudy@gao.gov.

Your experiences and perspectives are important. Completing this brief questionnaire will help inform policies that impact researchers like you.

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy, Volume 16

Last month, Volume 16 of the National Center's Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy was published The Journal is an open-access, peer-reviewed, online periodical advancing research and scholarly thought related to collective bargaining and other issues in higher education, and making relevant and pragmatic peer-reviewed research readily accessible.

From the Editors

JCBA's Origins, Evolution, & Future by Gary Rhoades and Karen Stubaus

Articles

Who Benefits from a Faculty Union During a Pandemic? by Mary Ellen Benedict, David McClough, and John Hoag

Faculty Views About Their COVID-19 Layoffs from a Public University in the US Midwest by Susan E. Ramlo

A Beautiful Mind Meets Harsh Reality: Practical Tips for Negotiators When Bargaining Strays from Ideal Conditions by Christopher C. Douglas, Ellen Grachek, Allyson Strickland, and Marie Waung

How Do Collective Agreements Stack Up? Implications For Academic Freedom by Tim Ribaric and Rahul Kumar

The Limits of Law: Lessons for Collective Bargaining by Eric J. Scarffe and Daniel Saunders

Practitioner Perspectives

"No Pay, No RAs": Resident Assistant Unionization Amidst University Backlash by Justin Weller

Navigating Harassment and Discrimination at University of California through UAW 4811's Abusive Conduct Contract Provisions by Sarah Arveson and Emily Weintraut

Graduate Student Labor Unions: Two Experienced Academic Administrators Share Their Views by Karen R. Stubaus

Research Notes

Every Grain of Sand: 2024 Changes to the Scope of Higher Education Unionization by William A. Herbert, Joseph van der Naald, and Jacob Apkarian

Book Review

Towards a Progressive Academy: Review of Organizing Professionals: Academic Employees Negotiating a New Academy by Rebecca Kolins Givan

The Journal co-editors are Gary Rhoades, University of Arizona, Karen Stubaus, National Center Visiting Scholar and former Vice President for Academic Affairs at Rutgers University, and Jacob Apkarian, York College, City University of New York. The Journal is supported in part by a generous contribution from TIAA and is hosted by the institutional repository of Eastern Illinois University, The Keep, a service of EIU's Booth Library.

The Journal is now accepting submissions for Volume 17 to be published in March 2026. Our authors customarily include college and university faculty and administrators, scholars, graduate students, union activists and leaders, and others interested in collective bargaining in higher education. Please see the Aims & Scope page for more information or contact the co-editors with any questions on possible submissions.

Download the National Center's Study on Anti-Discrimination Clauses in Higher Education Collective Bargaining Agreements

Last November, the National Center released a study titled Anti-Discrimination Clauses in Higher Education Collective Bargaining Agreements. 

Download the study here.

The study is based on research that led to the publication in September of our 2024 Directory of Bargaining Agents and Contracts in Higher Education.



The purpose of the study is to assist negotiators, labor representatives, and administrators in developing, amending, and implementing anti-bias contract provisions.

The study includes excerpted anti-discrimination text from 30 collective bargaining agreements negotiated by different nationally-affiliated unions and institutions at all levels of higher education from across the country involving tenured and tenure track faculty, non-tenure track faculty, postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers, and graduate student employees.

For each contract, the monograph includes the contract's anti-discrimination clause and the relevant negotiated procedure concerning enforcement when the contract does not permit, limits, or modifies the use of the standard grievance-arbitration procedure to enforce the anti-discrimination clause. In addition, the monograph includes a hyperlink to each contract to permit the contextualization of the excerpted provisions within the terms of the entire agreement.

KEY FINDINGS



• While most anti-discrimination clauses explicitly prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, and union activity, there are wide differences with respect to other protected categories.

• Over the course of time, anti-discrimination clauses have changed, reflecting the historical context during which they were negotiated. Examples of those changes over the years are prohibitions against discrimination based on civil union status, HIV status, and Vietnam-era veteran status.

• Recent contract clauses have expanded protections against discrimination to include caste; citizenship status; immigration status; ancestry; marital or parental status; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; gender expression; gender identity; genetic information; height; weight; arrest record; military status; veteran status; or unfavorably discharged from military service. Only one contract has an anti-discrimination clause limited to prohibiting discrimination based on union activity.

• Certain contracts expand upon sex as a protected category to explicitly address sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, as well as faculty-student relationships. The most detailed definitions of sexual harassment, with special procedures for investigating and remedying sexual harassment complaints under Title IX and anti-discrimination clauses, are in contracts involving postdoctoral scholars and graduate student employees.

• A significant difference among the contracts is the agreed-upon means of enforcement. Some contracts permit discrimination claims to be processed under the regular grievance-arbitration procedure. Others modify those procedures for handling discrimination issues and some agreements exclude alleged violations of the anti-discrimination clause from the grievance process. Lastly, some parties have opted to condition the arbitration of a discrimination grievance on the employee waiving her or his rights to pursue statutory discrimination claims in court or other external forums.

Download the National Center's 2024 Directory of Bargaining Agents and

Contracts in Institutions of Higher Education

Last September, the National Center published our 2024 Directory of Bargaining Agents and Contracts in Institutions of Higher Education on the scope of higher education unionization involving faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate and undergraduate student employees.

The 2024 Directory includes data and analysis concerning over 900 collective bargaining relationships in higher education through January 1, 2024, and hyperlinks to 813 recent contracts in higher education. Click here to download 2024 Directory

KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS



• The faculty union representation rate was 27% as of January 1, 2024, with a total of 402,217 unionized faculty across 29 states and the District of Columbia;
• California, New York, and New Jersey have the highest number of unionized faculty;
• The total number of unionized faculty grew by 7.5% since 2012;
• Represented faculty at the private non-profit institutions grew by 56%, relative to a 4% growth in the public sector, since 2012;
• As of January 1, 2024, there were 10 bargaining units of exclusively postdoctoral scholars with a total of 11,471 employees and two academic research units with a total of 6,132 employees.
• The graduate student employee union representation rate was 38% at the beginning of 2024 with over 150,000 employees in 81 bargaining units;
• Graduate student representation increased by 133% since 2012 with 60% of that growth at private non-profit higher education institutions;
• As of January 1, 2024, there were 19 exclusively undergraduate student employee units, with a total of 3,515 represented employees.