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NYSUT welcomes Syracuse University adjuncts
Jan. 19, 2006 From left, Syracuse University adjunct instructors Antonio Casale, Diane Swords and Val Episcopo. Looking for a strong voice in workplace issues that affect them and their students, adjunct faculty members at Syracuse University have voted to join with New York State United Teachers and its national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers. "Adjuncts will now have a seat at the table and — through their new union — a voice in the decisions that impact them," NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi said in a welcoming message to the approximately 650 adjunct instructors who were eligible to vote in the National Labor Relations Board's representation election. The December election at New York's fourth-largest private university represents a milestone in NYSUT's campaign to organize adjuncts, whose numbers are growing as private and public universities and colleges — particularly community colleges — continue to replace full-time tenured faculty with part-timers. "This is a significant victory for NYSUT in our effort to build union density among adjuncts in private colleges and universities throughout the state," said Mark Chaykin, NYSUT director of field operations. Noting that the organizing campaign was carried out "without rancor," Iannuzzi said NYSUT "looks forward to sitting down with the adjuncts and the university and negotiating a fair contract." Exploited academics While NYSUT and its higher education affiliates lobby state lawmakers for funding for more full-time faculty lines at state-supported colleges, the statewide union has been working concurrently to improve conditions for adjuncts, who have few opportunities to counsel or work with students outside of the lecture hall. Working semester-to-semester — often cobbling together a living by teaching courses at several institutions — adjuncts have no job security and receive few, if any, benefits. Even with comparable academic credentials, part-timers rarely are paid in proportion to what full-time faculty earn. Lacking offices, most have to carry materials around with them in their cars and struggle to maintain a presence on campus. "Most of us don't even find out until the last minute whether there is a class being offered for us to teach," said Diane Swords, an adjunct instructor in Syracuse 's sociology department. Establishing seniority for adjuncts is another goal of the fledgling union, she added. NYSUT locals represent adjuncts at other private institutions, including Pace University , Dowling College and Pratt Institute. At public universities, adjuncts have been part of the bargaining unit at United University Professions since 1976, when the NYSUT affiliate that represents academic and professional faculty at the State University of New York was created. The Professional Staff Congress, NYSUT's affiliate at the City University of New York, has represented adjuncts since 1969. At the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan , the United College Employees has won a number of provisions for adjuncts, including compensation for office hours and participation in such activities as portfolio reviews. — John Strachan |
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