Members of the United Academics of the University of Kansas rallied Thursday to push for KU administrators to work with them to set a date for an election — the next step to certify the faculty union and move toward contract negotiations.
About 100 people gathered on Wescoe Beach across the street from Strong Hall, the building that houses university administrators and the chancellor’s office.
UAKU has said a union would allow them a more equitable voice in university governance. The union will represent full-time and part-time tenured and non-tenured faculty — as well as teaching, research, clinical and online professors, lecturers, curators, librarians, scientists who conduct grant-funded research and other categories of faculty and academic staff. It will be affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors.
Prospective union members filed union authorization cards with the labor board asking for an election back in September.
Erick Morales Scholz, of the department of visual art, said the Public Employee Relations Board in Topeka had given the chancellor’s office until Jan. 27 to set a date for the election, but they still have not.
“We’re here to remind them that we matter and that we want this to happen, and that we’ve been working really hard for all these past two years,” he said. “We have majority and we will win this election, so it will happen. So we just basically want a date — that’s all we want.”
Emily Casey, of KU’s department of art history, was one of a handful of speakers at the rally.
“At first it seemed like that would be right around the corner. Our representatives from UAKU met with KU’s attorneys, and we had no substantive disagreements on our bargaining unit or on the process to move forward with an election,” they said. “But ever since then, things have moved at a snail’s pace. Every opportunity the administration has to slow things, they did.”
She said UAKU needs the chancellor’s team to produce a list of eligible voters and turn it over to the labor board in order to proceed.
“So that’s why we’re here today — to tell the chancellor to pick up the pace. We’re ready to vote now,” Casey said.
If the union is certified with a majority vote in the election — which members presume it will be — UAKU can start bargaining with administrators for a contract.
“We are not just asking now to set a date. We are building the power that is going to allow us to really make a difference when our union is here on campus to advocate for our collective needs,” they continued.
Berl Oakley, of the department of molecular biosciences, told those in attendance that he’s been at KU for 15 years, and many of the changes he’s seen throughout that time are not for the better. He said he has seen many talented faculty members leave, and he personally has lost three collaborators who took better offers elsewhere.
“Decisions are often made at the top with little consultation with faculty and staff, and we’re left to deal with the consequences,” Oakley said. “… We believe we can improve pay and working conditions for faculty and academic staff. This will make this place more attractive, and help us to attract and retain outstanding faculty and staff.”
Oakley also said as a union, they can stand up for academic freedom, which is increasingly coming under attack across the country.
Marta Carvajal-Regidor, of the Applied English Center, said she has seen colleagues have to work multiple jobs to get by, and they get burnt out and leave. She said employees who are fairly compensated will be better equipped to work with students, as well as participate in research and professional opportunities.
“Our union will also help position faculty members as part of the decision-making processes and allow for better representation, equity and a stronger collective voice,” she said.
“… When we’re able to communicate and be transparent with each other, we can better serve our students and foster a culture of accountability and unity,” she said.
Some UAKU members delivered a letter across the street to Strong Hall during the rally, urging the chancellor and his team to work with them to move toward the election.
A spokesperson for the university had not responded to an email seeking comment for this article as of the time of publication.
Graduate teaching assistants at KU have had a union, the Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition, since 1993.
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Molly Adams (she/her), photojournalist and news operations coordinator for The Lawrence Times, can be reached at molly@lawrencekstimes.com. Check out more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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