We are writing with an update on next steps in forming our union, and to put President Rhodes’ initial response to our campaign in context. Last semester, we announced that a majority of faculty have signed cards in support of collective bargaining, and we’ve been continuing to reach out to colleagues to make sure that everyone has a chance to participate. If you’d like to share more on your experience at SVA, and why you support forming our union, you can click here.
Yesterday, President Rhodes sent us an email which unfortunately contained a number of points seemingly aimed at discouraging us from forming a union. This is disappointing, but not surprising given how frequently employers in the U.S. try to persuade employees not to unionize. While most employers wait longer to begin such efforts, we welcome the opportunity so that all faculty can make an informed decision about unionization. If you have questions after reading the email, please feel free to reach out to us at info@svafacultyunited.org and check out the FAQ page on our website.
Notably, the email argues that “The union will make plenty of promises or guarantees about wages, benefits, and terms of employment, but you should understand that no union can deliver on these promises without SVA agreeing to them through the collective bargaining process”.
Firstly, we, as SVA faculty, are the union. Under collective bargaining, we would elect representatives from within our ranks to negotiate on equal footing with the SVA administration and put the terms of our employment into a legally-binding contract. We chose to form our union with the UAW because it represents 100,000 academic workers across the country, including thousands of adjunct faculty across NYC, including Parsons (The New School), Barnard, and NYU.
Secondly, this statement points out that SVA’s Administration could try to oppose making improvements once we have a union. SVA’s Administration already can and has opposed making improvements, without a union. Without a Union, SVA’s Administration can unilaterally decide to alter our working conditions at any time, as we saw when it indefinitely suspended our sabbatical benefit last fall. Part of why we are forming a union is to have an equal say in order to make the improvements to our rights, pay, and benefits we deserve. If SVA respects faculty and bargains in good faith, we are confident we can reach a fair agreement similar to the more than 100,000 other UAW academic workers across the US.
We also wanted to highlight some next steps in the process of forming our union. Currently, we’re continuing to speak to our colleagues across campus to make sure everyone has had the opportunity to participate and get any questions answered. After that, the next step will be to file our authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and petition for an election. In an election, a majority of those voting must vote in favor of forming a union in order for our union to be certified, at which point the SVA administration will have a legal obligation to start bargaining with us as equals.
We will make sure to keep everyone updated on this process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns, and feel free to check out our website for more information on our campaign.
Mike Cavallaro, Comics
Justin Elm, Visual & Critical Studies, Honors, and Art History
Merlin Ural Rivera, Humanities & Sciences
Nelson Isava, Film
On behalf of the SVA-FAC Organizing Committee
