PITTSBURGH–(ENEWSPF)–September 20, 2012. The United Steelworkers (USW) congratulates members of the Adjunct Faculty Association for its successful union election. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced a 50 to 9 win for the adjuncts in Duquesne University’s McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts.
“We are delighted, but not surprised, that the adjuncts of McAnulty College so strongly favor seeking to improve our working conditions through collective bargaining,” Adjunct Instructor Robin Sowards says, “And, we are hopeful that Duquesne’s administration will see this as a sign that immediately negotiating in good faith is the most prudent course of action.”
“At this point, we believe Duquesne has a legal duty to bargain with the USW as the collective bargaining agent of the adjuncts,” explains USW General Council Dan Kovalik, “and we’re disappointed that they’ve already announced their intentions to shirk their legal and moral obligations.”
Congratulating those who worked to build the union in Duquesne’s liberal arts college, USW International President Leo W. Gerard says, “The adjuncts faculty from Duquesne should proudly celebrate their victory as a triumph of solidarity.” He adds, “We will continue to fight for them in the face of opposition from the administration.”
Calling the Adjunct Faculty Association an asset to the USW, Gerard says, “They contribute to the diversity that makes the USW strong. We’ve won contracts for factory workers, nurses, flight attendants and lawyers. Now we’re proud to support adjunct instructors in their fight for a fair contract.”
The USW is continuing with its city-wide campaign to organize the adjunct instructor workforce in the Pittsburgh Area, and welcomes part-time faculty members from all colleges and universities to contact us.
The USW represents about 850,000 working men and women in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean in a wide variety of industries, ranging from glassmaking to mining, paper, steel, tires and rubber to the public sector, education, clerical, service workers and health care industries.
Source: usw.org
