I voted in the union election. Do I still need to sign a membership card? How do I sign a membership card?
- That is great, your vote made a difference – we won with a huge margin!
- Yes, you still need to fill out a membership card to ensure you have all the rights of a fully-fledged SEIU 721 member (like voting to ratify our eventual first contract). The membership card is easy to fill out, please follow this link: https://www.seiu721.org/welcome.php
- When you sign up, please use your personal contact information, including a non-LMU email address and your personal phone number.
How much will I pay in membership dues? Why do I need to pay them? What are the dues for?
- Dues are no more than 1.5% of your base pay, before taxes. There are no initiation fees.
- You will not start paying any dues until you and your coworkers negotiate a contract that establishes agreed upon terms of employment that results in better pay and working conditions.
- You and your colleagues approve the union contract with a majority vote through a democratic election.
- Dues go back into your union to make sure we have the resources needed to succeed and support members – that includes representation, advocacy, administrative, legal costs, etc.
- No NTT faculty member will pay dues for time that you are not receiving a paycheck from the university.
What/Who is the Bargaining Team (BT)?
What:
- A Bargaining Team (BT) is a committee of SEIU Local 721 members from the bargaining unit who are elected by their peers.
- The BT works with Local 721 staff and attorneys to identify issues and develop contract proposals.
- The BT will meet with Administration to negotiate contract proposals.
Who:
On Monday, August 19, 2024, following weeks of voting, our BT members were announced. They are:
- Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts (BCLA) members:
- Arik Greenberg, Clinical Assistant Professor of Theological Studies
- Bryan Wisch, Writing/Rhetorical Arts Instructor
- Laura Huffman, Senior Instructor in Modern Languages and Literature
- Lauren Cole, Senior Lecturer in History
- Mark Gaynor, Lecturer in Philosophy
- College of Communication and Fine Arts (CFA) members:
- Barbara Dyer, Senior Lecturer of Music
- Darrin Murray, Senior Lecturer of Communication Studies
- Jermaine McGhee, Lecturer of Theater Arts & Dance
- Maureen Gonzales, Lecturer of Dance
- Nicki Heskin, Assistant Clinical Professor of Production Management
- School of Film and Television (SFTV) members:
- Elizabeth Quinn, Senior Lecturer in Screenwriting
- Jon Medici, Senior Lecturer of Screenwriting
- Leslie LaPage, Lecturer of Production Film & Television
- Michael Daley, Clinical Associate Professor of Screenwriting
- Sam Goff, Lecturer in Animation
Will we vote on our first contract?
- Yes, once our Bargaining Team reaches a tentative agreement (TA), everyone who is an SEIU Local 721 member in the bargaining unit will vote to approve or reject the TA.
- If a majority votes yes to approve the TA, the contract is ratified and will go into effect.
How else can I get involved in bargaining?
- You can get involved with the Contract Action Team (CAT). The CAT is a dedicated group of member leaders who are at the center of leveraging our collective power during negotiations. CAT members communicate regularly and help disseminate information to their colleagues in their department about the progress of negotiations.
- To win a strong contract, every member must be engaged, so please consider joining the CAT. You can sign up for the CAT here.
- Please be on the lookout for future communications on other ways you can get more involved.
I want to be sure the BT knows what’s most important to me. How do I do that?
- It is important that we hear from everyone, and that the BT collects data from colleagues to understand faculty priorities. Here’s how the BT has gathered — and will continue to gather — information:
- Earlier this year, we asked faculty members to complete a comprehensive bargaining survey to guide our proposals and priorities at the negotiating table. Many, many faculty members filled it out!
- We’ve held listening sessions with faculty to hear directly from them, and the BT plans to hold more!
How can I contact the Bargaining Team?
- You can contact them at XXXXXXX.
How long will it take to negotiate a contract?
- The time length to negotiate a contract depends on several factors including frequency of meetings, reception of proposals by administration, involvement of faculty to apply pressure, etc.
- The average contract is typically completed in 9 months to 12 months, but some contracts in higher education are ratified as quickly as 6 months from the start of bargaining.
- There is power in unity, and participation can make a big difference to have a contract settled sooner.
What if the university doesn’t agree to our proposals?
- While the expectation is for the university to come to negotiations in good faith, there is a possibility that the university does not agree to all our proposals.
- Participating in meetings and actions, filling out your union membership card, and staying active is very important to show LMU managers that we are united and that we want them to take our proposals and priorities seriously. Robust membership with clear demands sends a strong signal of solidarity to the administration.
How will I get updates from the BT or have a sense of what’s happening at the bargaining table?
- Communication and involvement on all levels will be key to ensure that faculty have the latest bargaining updates.
- The BT will share a summary of each session with the entire bargaining unit every two weeks via email. If you are not receiving this update from your fellow NTTs, please let us know immediately. The update will also be posted on our website.
- We will also stay in communication through other various ways — in-person, phone, text, etc. to ensure that everyone has the latest updates.