A union of full-time faculty at the University of Cincinnati has voted to jointly affiliate with the Ohio Federation of Teachers and the AFT. The chapter representing 2,100 faculty, which has been affiliated with the American Association of University Professors for more than 25 years, voted 240-163 on June 2 for the joint affiliation.

It took the step of exploring this path after a decade of disappointing experiences at the bargaining table, says chapter president John Brackett. "Dealing with a Republican legislature, a Republican governor and a board of trustees all appointed by the governor has not been an easy context" for bargaining, he notes.

The faculty has watched the university exhibit skewed campus priorities recently, putting institutional resources toward new building projects and servicing debt while faculty salaries--paid for out of the same budget line--have stagnated. Yet, "we're the only public institution in the state that has lost enrollment over the last two years," says Brackett.

Concluding that the union need a more powerful voice in the state capital, going for an affiliation with a like-minded organization with resources and lobbying clout seemed the most logical remedy, he adds.

Both the national AAUP and the AFT executive council have to approve the dual affiliation--actions that will happen this summer. Then, the chapter will change its bylaws in the fall. "We're very excited about the results and eager to start working with the chapter on preparing for their upcoming negotiations," says Ohio Federation of Teachers president and AFT vice president Tom Mooney. The OFT is also working with an organizing committee of adjuncts at the university, which employs approximately 1400 part-timers. [John Brackett, Tom Mooney, Linda Cushing, Barbara McKenna]

[June 4, 2003]