Several faculty organizations at the University of Maryland are leading efforts to pass a Maryland General Assembly bill that would provide collective bargaining rights to 20,000 faculty and staff members at certain public universities in the state.
United Academics of Maryland-University of Maryland, in collaboration with the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers, sent the bill to state legislators who introduced it in January. The bill would allow faculty to negotiate working and research conditions, such as workloads, wages and representation in dispute resolutions, according to UAM-UMD president Karin Rosemblatt.
“Our vision of bargaining is a vision of bargaining for the common good,” Rosemblatt, a history professor at this university, said. “We want faculty to find their collective voice and to know that they can be heard.”
As of 2022, 25 states provide collective bargaining rights to faculty at public higher education institutions, according to the National Education Association.
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Rosemblatt said the bill would cover the 5,000 to 6,000 faculty members at this university, including librarians, professors, researchers and professional track faculty.
Faculty members began their collective bargaining efforts after they felt their health and safety concerns were not acknowledged during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rosemblatt said.
University administration does not give faculty an “adequate voice” when discussing working conditions and protection, Rosemblatt said. Faculty members are often not paid enough for their work, receive late paychecks and have their contracts adjusted during the semester, she added.
A union would help fairly apply policies for faculty members, which would strengthen learning environments and increase transparency from administration, Rosemblatt said.
“Faculty are the ones that day to day are in the classroom with the students,” Rosemblatt said. “We often have a much better sense of what students are going through, what kind of knowledge they need.”
This university referred to the University System of Maryland in response to The Diamondback’s request for comment. The university system did not respond to a request for comment.
State Del. Linda Foley (D-Montgomery), the bill’s primary sponsor, said she believes collective bargaining is the only way employees can voice concerns over working conditions and have job security.
“Anything short of collective bargaining actually doesn’t have the power of enforcement in the same way that collective bargaining does,” Foley said.
American Federation of Teachers-Maryland president Kenya Campbell said some full-time professors often have limited health or pension benefits. The legislation would allow faculty to decide if it would like certain protections, such as dispute regulations and collective bargaining representation, she added.
“When I refer to collective bargaining, I’m talking about at least having a seat at the table, having a voice and feeling confident in decisions that are made on campus with the input of faculty,” Campbell said.
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Campbell is hopeful that the bill will finally pass this legislative session, she added.
Multiple local leaders said the bill would help this university set standards for employees.
State Del. Nicole Williams (D-Prince George’s), a sponsor of the bill, said it is necessary to outline faculty rights and inform employees about job performance protocols, such as whether they are meeting working standards.
“I think it’s beneficial not just for the employee, but for the employer as well,” Williams said.
According to Foley, this university’s administration is the only group that has testified against other versions of collective bargaining bills in the past.
“If you want to consider yourself to be a fearless university right, then what are you afraid of when it comes to collective bargaining?” Foley said.
The state senate is scheduled to hold a hearing for the bill Thursday.
