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: Updated FAQs on union petition process
Date: December 22, 2023
Following yesterday’s message that shared election details, we wanted to take this opportunity to reply to some of the questions we have received about the Wellesley Organized Academic Workers-UAW (WOAW-UAW) unionization process and remind our community that the FAQs, which we will continue to update, can be found here. We encourage you to send us any new questions.
The decision to unionize is a tremendously consequential one, and it will have an impact on all faculty members, not just those in the proposed bargaining unit, as well as our academic program and our model of shared governance. Given that reality, it is vital for faculty in the proposed unit and for the rest of our community to understand the process of unionization, its consequences, and what it can and cannot do for potential members of the union.
If the union is elected as the representative, can individual faculty in the bargaining unit or groups of faculty in the bargaining unit opt out of the unit and not be represented by the union?
No. If the union is elected, by law the union will represent everyone in the bargaining unit. No individual faculty member or group of such faculty can choose to leave the bargaining unit. The union will be the exclusive representative of everyone in the bargaining unit, whether they voted for or against the union or abstained from voting.
How will unionization impact the ability of non-tenure track faculty members to make individual requests from the College?
The WOAW-UAW would, by law, become the exclusive agent for all aspects of compensation and other terms and conditions of employment for all faculty in the bargaining unit. The College would no longer be able to modify compensation or working conditions or negotiate with individual members of the collective bargaining unit directly, or through any other body or committee, on such topics unless negotiated with the union or authorized by the collective bargaining agreement.
If I have to be a member of the bargaining unit even if I’m opposed to the union, would I still have to pay union dues?
Every member of the bargaining unit would be required to join the union or to pay representational fees to the union that would be the equivalent of dues, as a condition of employment, if the union negotiates such a provision into the collective bargaining agreement. While this is not legally required and would be part of contract negotiations, most unions—including the UAW—argue forcefully for such a provision, and most collective bargaining agreements have such provisions.
See the College’s FAQ for examples from Barnard and New York University.
If I signed a union card previously, am I obligated to vote for the union in the election?
No. If you signed a union card, you are still free to vote against the union in the election. This will be a secret ballot election, and you will not be bound by anything you signed in the past.
If I did not sign a union card previously, am I obligated to vote “no” in a union election?
No. If you did not sign a union card, you may still vote for the union in the election. All members of the collective bargaining unit are allowed and encouraged to vote in the election.
What impact would unionization have on the shared governance of the College?
The decision to unionize would require changes to our shared governance model because, by law, the union would become the exclusive agent of the unionized faculty on matters of wages, hours, and other terms of employment. Under federal labor law, it would be considered an unfair labor practice for the College to deal with any other group (such as the FIP Advisory Committee or the Faculty Benefits Committee) on such matters once the union has achieved exclusive representational status through an NLRB election.
We believe deeply that the participation of FIP faculty in shared governance has improved the life of the College. However, to the extent that faculty are considered members of a collective bargaining unit, opportunities for participation in shared governance may be limited.
How does the Wellesley College administration plan to maintain neutrality during the election process?
The College believes this decision is up to the faculty encompassed in the voting unit. Every employee has the right to support or not support the union and to express their point of view, and we will respect the outcome of the election. However, we also believe sharing facts and recognizing that there are different ways of interpreting them are essential steps to ensuring that faculty will be as fully informed as possible when they cast their ballots.
As you saw in yesterday’s message, the date of the election has been scheduled for January 29 and 30, 2024, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on both days. We will continue to provide further updates, but in the meantime, we hope you had a successful end to the semester and are looking forward to a restful and peaceful winter break.
