Unionization In The Classroom: GW's Response To Organizing Part-Time Faculty


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PART-TIME FACULTY REPRESENTATION ELECTION (printer-friendly version)(printer-friendly version (PDF))
June 16, 2005

On October 22, 2004, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) conducted a ballot count to determine whether the part-time faculty at The George Washington University wish to be represented by Local 500 of the Service Employees International Union. There were approximately 1,200 part-time faculty eligible to vote in the mail ballot election. At that time, 328 ballots were cast in favor of unionization, and 316 ballots were cast against unionization. Fifty unopened ballots were challenged, however.

On May 6, 2005, the NLRB issued a ruling regarding those ballots and determined that 26 of them should be counted, as well as two ballots voided at the original ballot count. Consequently, on Tuesday, May 17, the NLRB conducted the tally of those 28 ballots. The result of the count is that 341 part-time faculty cast ballots for representation and 331 cast ballots against representation.

The NLRB has now certified the election results. The University is reviewing the validity of the certification and will determine its next steps as regards Local 500.

If the certification is valid, union membership and the procedures related to it will be subjects of collective bargaining and any resulting agreement will ultimately require ratification by the members of the collective bargaining unit before being implemented. If you have any questions as a result of the election, please contact Donald Lehman, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.