Who is in our bargaining unit?

Ultimately, the state labor relations board determines who will be in the final bargaining unit. Based on previous decisions, we believe the unit will include all Penn State faculty: tenure-line and non-tenure-line, both full- and regular part-time, across all campuses. Based on Pitt’s experience, we do not expect Hershey faculty to be included.

Why create a bargaining unit with all faculty together?

This is partially due to public sector labor board precedent: because at a basic level all faculty jobs are defined by some combination of research and teaching on the same campuses, the board has consistently ruled that faculty of all ranks and levels share a community of interest, which means we may not have a choice in the matter.

Even if we had a choice, though, many academic unions formed in recent years include both tenure-line and contingent faculty because tenure-line and contingent faculty share numerous workplace concerns. For example, all faculty have an interest in annual salary increases, comprehensive health insurance coverage, clear and equitable processes for evaluation and promotion, measures to redress gender and racial inequities, safe workspaces, clear and just management of cases related to sexual harassment and assault, and transparency regarding decision-making at the university. Of course, certain issues remain specific to contingent or tenure-line faculty, which is why our organizing committee and eventual bargaining team will include adjunct, full-time non-tenure-line, and tenure-line faculty, and our contract will include clauses specific to each. This is common in union contracts–almost every workplace, from factories to government, has different categories of employees–and it need not be an impediment to any group. In fact, we believe we will be strongest with the most inclusive union possible, since acting in solidarity across all ranks of a large bargaining unit gives faculty the most leverage when negotiating with the administration.

I work at Penn State on an H-1B visa. Can I join the union?

Yes! International faculty currently on an H-1B visa can join the union with zero worry. The absolute most an employer could legally do is deny a pending H1B petition, but they cannot change current status. Anyone working on an H1B visa is completely protected under the law and our union will push for more protections negotiated with the employer than the federal administration will ever provide. We will update guidelines as they change, so please revisit this page for the most up-to-date information.