Union 101: FAQ

What does it mean to have a union?  

Forming a union allows you and your colleagues to come together and advocate for yourselves. As union members, you’ll decide what priorities you share and how to address them. This includes at the bargaining table where you sit down with the university administration to negotiate faculty contracts for the upcoming years. The more participation there is, the stronger your voice will be. Under U.S. labor law, “labor organizations” are required to follow rules on governance, financial disclosure and other aspects of their operations. They are democratic membership organizations whose members elect their leaders and set the direction of the union. 

What are other comparable institutions where faculty are unionized? 

In New Mexico, most institutions have faculty unions. This includes University of New Mexico, San Juan Community College, Highlands University, and Central New Mexico Community College. Among NMSU’s peer institutions, Colorado State, Iowa State, Montana State, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, The University of Arizona, the University of Idaho and the University of Nevada-Reno all have faculty unions. 

What is collective bargaining? 

Collective bargaining is a formal process where you and your colleagues sit as equals with the university administration to negotiate issues pertaining to working conditions identified as important, such as wages and benefits. Since faculty working conditions affect student learning conditions, faculty at many institutions have chosen to use the power of their collective voice to secure better working conditions.  

Collective bargaining agreements generally also include procedures for addressing problems in the workplace through grievance procedures that include due process rights, just cause, and the prohibition of administrative retaliation. Unlike policy manuals, collective bargaining agreements are legally enforceable contracts. This is one of the reasons workers choose to form a union—so they have a legally binding contract protecting their pay and benefits. 

Hundreds of NMSU non-teaching staff employees already engage in collective bargaining with the administration.  

How do faculty senate and a faculty union work together? 

In universities where the faculty are unionized, the faculty senate continues to play an important role in advising on academic matters. NMSU’s employee council already provides a model for this, as it includes unionized staff. A faculty-led union adds legal obligations to the administration’s interactions with faculty. In addition, the contents of a union contract may contain language that further empowers the academic senate, such as specifying the right of the senate to review policies on certain issues like curriculum, admissions, examinations, and certification. 

Many faculty who have worked in both union and non-union colleges and universities find that the faculty senate’s role is enhanced when there is also a union. Faculty decide where best to pursue their interests, and often utilize both the senate and their union to support their goals.

What happens once we form our union? What does it look like?  

Once a union is formed, its members will elect officers for an Executive Committee. The leadership roles include a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and governance officer. They are tasked to govern in accordance with the chapter bylaws and constitution agreed upon by the membership. The Executive Committee composed of the elected officers, chairs of the committees and a chief steward lead ongoing organizing efforts on behalf of NMSU faculty to negotiate and enforce contracts incorporating the priorities that faculty have identified. When both the Executive Committee and the NMSU administration agree on a draft contract, union members then vote whether to accept or reject the contract. This structure allows for a wider reach from faculty to robustly represent faculty’s needs in the bargaining agreement.

What does signing a union authorization card mean? 

By signing a union authorization card, you are indicating your desire to enable the formation of a faculty union under the auspices of NEA. The card is not, in itself, a membership card, and does not oblige you to pay dues. By law, NMSU must recognize your union once officials from the Public Employee Labor Board validate that a majority of eligible employees have signed authorization cards. 

Once the union has achieved recognition, faculty build the union by signing membership cards. Successful unions start with strong membership levels. The more members you have, the more power you will have at the negotiating table! This strength empowers the union to negotiate collectively with your university administration over your wages, hours, and working conditions, and to have representation in personnel matters. 

What are the specific benefits the union will aim for?   

You’ll decide what your priorities will be. As part of the negotiation process, the executive team of a newly-formed union will survey faculty to inform prioritization of issues, and will work with NEA-NM and NEA to prepare proposals based on local conditions and best practices.  

Nearly all agreements include specific recommendations for minimum pay raises, benefits and grievance procedures. However, many issues related to working conditions can be collectively bargained. These might include: limits on class size, bans on furloughs, guidelines for teaching loads, longer guaranteed contracts for non-tenure-track faculty, and a streamlined process for faculty needing accommodations for disabilities. Agreements can also govern assignments of lab, research and office facilities as well as protect faculty from layoffs during program streamlining or elimination by mandating fair reassignments. Any violation of the contract can become the subject of legal action, and the union has its own legal team. 

Will the union allow for targeted recruitment and retention?   

Yes, departments would continue to recruit faculty as you currently do. “The union” is all of you, so the only things that will change are what you want to change! Most, maybe even all, faculty unions at major institutions typically seek to set minimum rates of pay but do not set maximum rates of pay, allowing for aggressive recruitment of desired candidates. 

How much will this cost? 

Dues are set by members and vary from union to union. Some members pay a flat fee and others pay a percentage of their salary. Typical union dues are around 1% gross salary.  

 Dues go to funding union office and staff, union-related campaigns, policy research, member education, legal costs to represent members, and research for negotiation and enforcement of the contract. In addition, a percentage goes to a national union to which a local is affiliated.