Faculty and librarians at Eastern Oregon University voted Feb. 11 for representation by AFT-Oregon and the AFT.  The unit of 130, known as the Associated Academic Professionals, join the faculty and academic staff unions of four other state university campuses who are AFT affiliates.

An unpredictable economic picture in the state and a sense of exclusion from the decision-making process at EOU were factors that drew faculty to consider unionizing two years ago. When the state Public Employee Benefit Board radically altered a feature of the medical compensation plan and the university failed to give employees notice or warning about the change, a "host of small slights" bubbled into a large affront, says AFT-Oregon field representative Brett Nair. The faculty came together to see how they could achieve a voice in the workplace.

Another primary concern is how the academic professionals will fare in the face of state budget deficits.  Both their own wages and the funding for quality programs are uncertainties that AAP does not want to leave in the hands of administrators alone. The state pension fund is also a worry, says Nair.

In negotiations, the union hopes to set up an academic senate that is separate from the current assembly that includes administrators with faculty and classifieds and design a tenure structure that includes the five librarians in the unit. [Barbara McKenna]

[February 12, 2003]