ACT-UAW Members Win Arbitrations

We have won three recent arbitration decisions in contract disputes with NYU:

* Termination pay: In March, an arbitrator agreed that NYU owed termination pay to an adjunct who was not reappointed after teaching six semesters with a clear record of good performance.

* Speech Pathology: Later in July, an arbitrator prevented NYU from excluding Speech Pathology teachers classified as "clinical supervisors" from our contract. NYU is trying to deny a wide range of clinical and field instructors our contract's benefits and protections. This arbitration is just the first in a series to protect teachers in several programs.

* HEOP: In August, NYU was prevented from using a similar tactic to deny benefits and protection to teachers in the Higher Education Opportunity Program. NYU classified them as "researchers" although they spent 100% of their time teaching.

In the coming months, we expect decisions in several more arbitrations about who should be protected by our contract, and who is owed termination pay.

While these cases sound straightforward, they typically take one to two years to complete, from filing the initial grievance, to coordinating schedules for the arbitration process, interviewing faculty and preparing written statements, attending arbitration sessions, and waiting for the arbitrator's decision. The cases require the time and effort of many people, including the teachers involved, our local's officers and stewards, and our union reps and lawyers. This investment pays off in two ways: our members get the benefits and protection they deserve, and our contracts are strengthened for the future.