As many of you know, the AAUP is in the midst of a “card drive”. It will be completed as soon as enough cards are received from OU faculty. You may not be aware that a card drive is in progress. The purpose of this page is to inform you about this process.
What is a “card drive”?
The purpose of a card drive is to collect signatures from OU faculty who support having an official vote about collective bargaining. You can obtain a card (plus a return envelope) by contacting Ken Brown or talking to an AAUP liaison in your school or department. You can send your signed card to the P.O. Box on the envelope that is provided. The AAUP executive committee guarantees that your card will be kept confidential.
What happens after the card drive?
When enough cards are collected, the State of Ohio will hold an election in which the OU faculty vote on whether they want collective bargaining. The purpose of collective bargaining is to ensure that the faculty voice is properly represented in OU governance.
What is gained by collective bargaining?
At present, the administration decides entirely on issues of faculty pay, faculty health care benefits, faculty representation at administrative councils, etc. Even though the Faculty Senate has passed resolutions representing OU faculty concerns, many of these resolutions have been ignored by the OU administration. Collective bargaining will allow for greater faculty involvement, a stronger Faculty Senate and compliance with the Faculty Handbook.\
Why now?
In the past decade, the OU administration has become increasingly dominant and OU faculty members have been marginalized in decisions that affect the future of Ohio University. Recently, the Faculty Senate passed by a majority a resolution encouraging OU faculty to consider collective bargaining. This is the first time in more than 20 years that Faculty Senate has expressed such strong dissatisfaction with the OU administration.
Is collective bargaining good for everyone?
Not everyone wants to enter into collective bargaining. Some people feel that their salaries are adequate and that their voices are heard by the OU administration. This is a democratic process. If the majority of OU faculty want the AAUP (a national academic association with extensive bargaining experience) to represent them for better pay and better representation on committees, then the State of Ohio will hold an election. An election will not happen at OU unless enough faculty (like you!) sign a card. Contact OU-AAUP President Kevin Uhalde (kevin.uhalde@gmail.com) for more details.
