{
"type": "rich",
"version": "1.0",
"provider_name": "Action Network",
"provider_url": "https://actionnetwork.org",
"html": "",
"author_name": "Fordham Graduate Student Workers (FGSW)",
"author_url": "https://actionnetwork.org/groups/fordham-graduate-student-workers-fgsw",
"title": "Fordham Faculty Petition",
"thumbnail_url": "https://actionnetwork.org//images/generic_facebook.jpg",
"description": "To the Faculty of Fordham University: On Monday, February 28, Fordham Graduate Student Workers filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold a union election, and members of the organizing committee delivered a letter to Father McShane asking the administration to remain neutral and to move forward without delay. We undertook this action on the basis of overwhelming support for a union among graduate student employees, a supermajority of whom signed union cards with us in the span of two weeks. This is a historic move for our university, one that will materially improve the lives of all graduate student employees. As outlined by our Vision Statement, FGSW will negotiate to create formal grievance structures, to extend funding due to the pandemic, to enhance protections for international students, and to secure better pay, comprehensive healthcare, and childcare accommodations. With the support and protection of our union, graduate student employees will be better equipped to carry out our work for the university and contribute to our shared mission to foster the intellectual and moral growth of the entire Fordham community. In light of the many questions surrounding unionization, including the rights of faculty members and how unionization may affect graduate students’ relationships with Fordham faculty and administration, we have created an FAQ to address prominent concerns, and we encourage faculty members to reach out to FGSW with further questions. According to the National Labor Relations Act, faculty members are legally considered supervisors and as such must abide by the NLRB’s supervisory guidelines during union organizing campaigns and elections. While these guidelines stipulate that supervisors may not make threats or promises towards graduate student employees, supervisors may freely express their support for graduate student workers’ organizing. In fact, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has consistently and vocally supported graduate unionization struggles, recognizing that an organized and empowered graduate workforce helps to secure greater justice and freedom in American universities. In our own city, faculty at NYU and Columbia have recently supported graduate union organizing and urged their administrations to enter into good faith negotiations. Now, as faculty, you are more than our supervisors: you are also our instructors, co-workers, and mentors. We ask that you stand in solidarity with us as we follow in the footsteps of our co-workers in Fordham Faculty United and our colleagues in graduate employee unions across the country. We urge all faculty to voice support for our unionization and to charge the university to remain neutral during our election process and enter into good faith negotiations. Fordham faculty, recognizing the vital role that adjuncts serve and their unjust working conditions, overwhelmingly voiced support to the administration for Fordham Faculty United’s unionization efforts in 2017, citing the need for solidarity among employees of the university and the integrity of workplace recognition to the University’s mission of service for others. We encourage you to do the same now for graduate student employees by signing the letter below. In solidarity, Fordham Graduate Student Workers Organizing Committee",
"url": "https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/fordham-faculty-petition"
}