We closed our eighth contract bargaining session with NYU on Wednesday night. In our last two sessions we introduced proposals to protect jobs and increase benefits. Specifically we reimagined how reappointment rights work, adding payouts for low enrollment and curriculum change cancellations, and expanded pay for course cancellation.
We also asked for more money for professional development, and proposed a new, more equitable way of disbursing the funds twice a year, which would give more adjuncts additional opportunities to collect this union benefit. In another proposal, responding to adjunct concerns we asked for more office space to meet with students and for lockers to store valuables while on campus.
To date we have made proposals and counterproposals on 18 of the articles in our contract. The university has responded with counter proposals on just six.
Delay is standard for NYU. We are not slowing down: The Bargaining Committee continues to draft proposals for significant pay increases, stronger course protections, more access to benefits, and better working conditions for all. Our commitment is clear.
In other news, this weekend marks the union’s 20-year anniversary since we first came together in 2002. Our local, ACT-UAW 7902, is in part named after this date: 7/9/02. To celebrate, we’re picnicking on Saturday (7/9/22), from 3-6pm at the Picnic House in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Please RSVP here and join us.
And finally, next Wednesday, July 13, we’ll meet on Zoom from 6-7:30pm for another Contract Conversations session. This one is on benefits, and members of the Bargaining Committee will be on hand to talk in more detail about the proposals we have already submitted.
In Solidarity,
The NYU Bargaining Committee
