SU, Adjuncts United reach tentative labor agreement for part-time faculty; ratification vote by mail to occur in June

Friday, May 23, 2008, By News Staff

Kevin Morrow
315) 443-3784

Syracuse University and Adjuncts United, a labor union affiliated with the New York State United Teachers Union (AU/NYSUT), have reached tentative agreement on a labor contract for more than 500 part-time faculty at the University.

Adjuncts United is planning communications sessions for bargaining unit members on May 28 and June 3 in Room 500 of the Hall of Languages. The union will be in contact with members to provide further details. A mail ballot process will be used for the ratification vote, with ballots to go out on June 4 for return by no later than June 18, after which the votes will be tallied.

“It has been a long and arduous process, but well worth the effort,” says Jeanette Jeneault, Adjuncts United president. “As a first contract both sides should be commended on the many best practices that will be memorialized here.”

As recognized by both sides, private-sector part-time faculty contracts are rare. “We hope to be a model for future contracts at other institutions,” Jeneault says.

This would be the first agreement for SU part-time faculty members. The union was recognized as the bargaining representative of SU part-time faculty in December 2005. Contract negotiations began in June 2006 and entailed 81 meetings, the last of which occurred on May 20.