Bargaining Session 7 | September 8, 2022
The part-time faculty bargaining team showed up prepared to forge a path forward and presented ten responses to the counter proposals made by the university at our last two bargaining sessions. In some cases, the bargaining team accepted the university’s suggestions; in others, the team proposed fair compromises. The New School’s lead negotiator did not bring any new counter proposals and remained closed to finding common ground on one key change the union wants to see going forward: how complaints regarding discrimination and harassment are handled.
Current practice: The university has complete authority over the investigatory process. A university administrator renders a final, binding decision.
Part-Time Faculty’s initial proposal: Providing real recourse against discimination and harassment. Faculty can still pursue their case through the university process but also have the new option of filing a union grievance and have a union rep at their side throughout the process. If necessary, faculty can appeal their case to a neutral, third party arbitrator whose fees the union will cover. Ultimate decision making power is taken away from a university administrator and vested in a neutral, third-party.
University’s counter proposal: Faculty may appeal their case to a university administrator, but not a neutral, third-party arbitrator. Ultimate decision-making authority rests with a university administrator.
Part-Time Faculty's response: to hold firm on the initial proposal.
Why the Union’s Discrimination and Harassment Proposal is Important
Handling discrimination and harassment complaints through only the university procedure grants the university full control over faculty members’ fate. Bringing these complaints under the union’s grievance process, however, allows for arbitration, where a neutral, third party arbitrator, rather than the university’s senior administration, makes a final, binding decision. The union would cover the costs of arbitration.
The University’s proposal ignores the need for a more just process and instead maintains a system in which faculty are left without real recourse. Faculty can either accept the university administrator’s decision, or sue the university in court. Pursuing a case in court can be prohibitively expensive, costing thousands, potentially even millions, of dollars, and can take years to resolve.
Why the University’s Response is Problematic
The New School wants full control over discrimination and harrassment complaint procedures and and seeks to close off any opportunity for redress via a neutral, third-party.
Many other universities, including NYU, Barnard, and Rutgers, have agreed that unionized faculty have the right to grieve and arbitrate discrimination and harassment complaints.
Other employees at the New School, including academic student workers (SENS)valready have the right to grieve and arbitrate discrimination and harassment complaints.
It’s imperative that part-time faculty at the New School have the right to full union support when handling discrimination and harassment complaints. The union’s lead negotiator, Annie Lee Larson, said it best:
“Why is the New School, a university devoted to social justice, working to restrict the avenues part-time faculty have to seek justice against harassment and discrimination?”
What You Can Do About It
Show the university just how important this right is by attending the Rally for Respect on Wednesday, September 14th at noon. Join hundreds of your colleagues, university support staff, students, city council member Erik Bottcher, State Senator Brad Hoylman, and even a band outside of the University Center to demand the contract you deserve!
Part-time faculty must continue showing up to bargaining sessions every week to let the university know the time for change is now! The New School will not prioritize part-time faculty concerns unless you demand it.
The next bargaining session is Thursday, September 15th at 11:30am EDT on Zoom.