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Our Position...We feel strongly about the need for a union at Illinois State University. Please read this article to see why it is important to Unionize NOW!
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Card DriveFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2002 "Temporary" Professors Launch Union Effort at ISU NORMAL, IL - Nontenure-track faculty at Illinois State University have formed the ISU Nontenure-track Faculty Association, IEA-NEA , which is launching its organizing campaign on Tuesday April 2. Nontenure-track faculty are full-time and part-time temporary employees on one-semester or one-year contracts. Over 400 or 40% of ISU's faculty are nontenure-track (NTT). The ISU NTT FA seeks to address the concerns of hundeds of "temporary professors" teaching in ISU classrooms. Our concerns are the same as those of many in today's globalized workplace: lack of job security, fair pay, and standards for NTT employment. Spokesperson Gretchen Knapp commented, "Over 30% of NTTs at ISU have been rehired each semester or academic year for 5 or more years. Like Microsofts "perma-temps", NTTs are second class citizens. How can ISU justify treating as temporary employees the same faculty members hired year after year?" Despite the advanced training and experience these positions require, NTT salaries are low. "We believe in equal pay for equal work," Knapp said. TT are paid significantly more than nontenure-track faculty. Full-time TT faculty in some departments are paid more than double what their NTT counterparts make. Full-time NTTs with more than 20 years have retired into poverty because their pensions are so small. No standards exist for establishing workloads or setting part-time NTT salaries, and there is no grievance procedure or policy for NTTs, as exists for all other employees and students. Many NTTs are not eligible for health insurance and related benefits. Long-standing administrative reluctance to make meaningful job improvements, including fair compensation, standardized workloads, and participation in shared governance, led to this action. The ISU NTT Faculty Association chose April 2 because the Illinois Board of Higher Education, a state agency which oversees public colleges and universities, meets the same day on ISU's campus to vote on a controversial study of NTT faculty compensation and working conditions. NTT's true salaries are reduced because they have to buy their benefits over the summer, if they are eligible. Some individuals have retired into poverty after working an entire 20-year career as an NTT at ISU and must find outside employment to support themselves. No standards for PT NTT employment, especially for salaries. In my case, my workload increased by 60% while my salary stayed the same. Contact: Gretchen E. Knapp |
