ALBANY, N.Y. February 6, 2008 - The New York State United Teachers local representing Pace University adjunct faculty returns to the bargaining table on Thursday, Feb. 7, after a federal circuit court decision ended years of legal haggling by the university. The court decision affirmed that adjuncts who had not been eligible to vote in the representation election could still be included in the bargaining unit for negotiations.
"It's time to get down to business and get a contract for these hard-working adjunct faculty," said Richard C. Iannuzzi, President of the 585,000-member statewide union. "These education professionals, like all education professionals, deserve fair and just working conditions. Pace University must recognize this and act accordingly."
The adjuncts have salary, benefits, job security and fair and consistent treatment as their principal concerns as bargaining reopens.
"We welcome the chance to hammer out the issues that matter most to our members," said John Pawlowski, president of the Union of Adjunct Faculty at Pace (UAFP). "Resolving our issues will go a long way in strengthening Pace's reputation as a good place to learn and to teach."
The negotiations resume after years of public demonstrations by hundreds of adjuncts and their union supporters, including a march at the New Jersey office of the chairman of the university's board of trustees and protests outside university events in Westchester County and New York City.
Contract negotiations began in 2004 but stalled after Pace filed charges to limit the union's representation. The court decision affirmed the union's request to represent all adjuncts who teach at least three credit hours or 45 hours in a semester.
NYSUT represents 585,000 teachers, school-related professionals, academic and professional faculty in higher education, professionals in education and health care and retirees. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.
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