NYU Becomes the First Private University to Recognize Collective-Bargaining Rights of T.A.'s By ANA MARIE COX
New York University on Thursday became the first private university to formally recognize the collective-bargaining rights of teaching assistants.
N.Y.U.'s announcement that it would begin bargaining with its teaching assistants followed a lengthy battle in which the university opposed unionization. In the last year, however, two rulings by the National Labor Relations Board affirmed the right of the teaching assistants to unionize. But until Thursday's announcement, the university had not ruled out a federal court battle over the issue. Many other private universities backed N.Y.U. on the issue and had urged the university to continue to resist the union drive.
Robert Berne, the university's vice president for academic and health affairs, said the university's reversal stemmed from an agreement with the United Auto Workers, the union representing the Graduate Employees and Students Organization, or GESO. The agreement removed "academic issues" from any contract negotiations. With this agreement in hand, Mr. Berne said, "We will now begin bargaining with the U.A.W.-GESO."
In the letter, the U.A.W. acknowledged that "the collective-bargaining obligations of the university do not encompass matters that pertain exclusively to degree requirements." Keeping bargaining separate from academics, said Mr. Berne, has always been the sticking point for the university.
Union representatives did not return calls for comment.
Mr. Berne said the university's position had not been understood during the struggle over unionization. "I guess nobody believed us, but we've been saying all along this wasn't about anti-unionism," he said. "It was about issues that are important to us, and once we found resolution to those issues, we're prepared to move ahead."
That may not be easy. The agreement lays the groundwork for contract talks on a wide range of issues, while steering clear of the academic issues the university feels have little to with wages and conditions. However, Mr. Berne acknowledged that what constitutes an "academic issue" is "open to interpretation, but I think the meaning in the letter puts a limit on the gray area."
In addition to recognizing that "certain issues involving the academic mission of the university lie outside the scope of bargaining as defined by the National Labor Relations Act," the agreement also states that the U.A.W. will withdraw the allegations of unfair labor practices that the union had filed against N.Y.U.
Further, the U.A.W. conceded to the university that M.B.A. candidates, who at N.Y.U. do not receive stipends, "are not properly included in the bargaining unit" and would be excluded in further negotiations. The U.A.W also responded to the university's longstanding argument that research assistants in the sciences should have been able to participate in the union vote. Under a compromise, the union will consider excluding from the bargaining unit any research assistants whose work is financed by external grants.