Faculty Unionism: The First Ten Years

Abstract

The record of faculty collective bargaining in four year colleges and universities for the past decade shows that about one-eighth of all institutions have been organized. The proportion rises to about 30 percent in public institutions. Unionism is highly concentrated in public institutions, in the 22 jurisdictions where state bargaining laws have been in effect for a substantial period—only about 27 institutions remain unorganized in these states. Growth has been slowing in recent years and there is little to indicate a significant increase in the future unless the public employee bargaining movement resumes its growth and additional states enact supportive laws. While the number of elections has been declining, the percentage of rejections of unionism has been rising in public institutions and falling in private institutions in recent years. Faculty unionism appears to have increased centralization in decisionmaking, bureaucratization of administration at all levels, led to more open personnel processes, and introduced some elements of an appeal system while having inconclusive effects on compensation.