Oregon Faculty Organize Against Corporate Creep

[Omaha Steve]

http://labornotes.org/blogs/2012/06/faculty-organize-against-corporate-creep

by Stefan Ostrach | Wed, 06/13/2012 - 2:25pm

Myth: Universities are communities of scholars dedicated to increasing knowledge through research, teaching, and community service.

Reality: Universities are increasingly like corporations, exploiting workers and treating students like customers.


University of Oregon faculty members, tenured and untenured, delivered union authorization cards signed by more than 1,000 of their colleagues to the state Employment Relations Board. They are now certified to bargain. Photo: United Academics.


Just as in manufacturing, transportation, and service industries, university managements are speeding up employees and using temps and part-timers—prompting faculty to organize.

At the University of Oregon, United Academics was certified April 27 to represent more than 1,800 professors and researchers. The union represents teaching employees across the board: full-time and part-time, tenure track and non-tenure track, adjunct instructors, research associates and assistants, and post-doctoral scholars.

FULL story at link.