To: Wellesley College Faculty and Staff
From: Andy Shennan, Provost and Lia Gelin Poorvu ’56 Dean of the College, and Carolyn Slaboden, Chief Human Resources Officer
Re: Update on Petition from National Labor Relations Board
Date: December 7, 2023
Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW), a proposed union affiliated with the United Auto Workers (UAW), is seeking to represent FIP faculty and others at the College for purposes of collective bargaining. This group has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that will result in a secret ballot NLRB election in which eligible faculty will decide whether they want the WOAW-UAW to be their exclusive representative on all matters of wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
The decision to unionize is an extremely important one, with implications for the individuals directly involved, as well as for the academic program more broadly, and the operations and governance of the College. Wellesley believes this decision is up to our FIP faculty colleagues, and we are committed to a process that allows for open and informed decision making.
In the days ahead, representatives of the administration, union, and the NLRB will discuss the petition, the union’s proposed bargaining unit, and who is eligible to vote under the rules and case law of the NLRB. Any disagreements between the parties regarding the proposed bargaining unit and eligibility will be resolved by the regional director of the NLRB in Boston at a hearing in late December.
Going forward, we will regularly share information about the nature of exclusive representation, the collective bargaining process, voting logistics, and other matters related to potential unionization, to ensure that all voting members of the proposed bargaining unit are able to make an informed choice. To ensure transparency, we will share this information with the broader community as well. We expect that many of you will have questions about this process, which we invite you to share with us using this form. We will be posting responses on the College’s website starting next week.
Our FIP faculty are highly valued colleagues, and we respect the many ways they contribute to the excellence of our academic program, the experience of our students and to our community. Regardless of the outcome of this election, we are fully committed to taking the right steps to properly reward, retain, and honor all of our faculty and staff.
