Help YouR Union Take Action to Protect Adjunct Rights!

Beginning in Spring 2024, Adjuncts across the University began receiving wishy-washy-worded letters from department chairs about looming budget cuts,  the *uncertainty* of scheduling for the following academic year, and an inability to “confirm” renewal. That was followed by a slew of non-renewal-notices (aka pink slips, aka being fired). Even adjuncts in the middle of two-year contracts have had their positions terminated or courseload dramatically reduced.  At least one department, Philosophy, has eliminated all adjuncts regardless of whether they are on a term-to-term or multi-year contract. 

Our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was negotiated to protect adjuncts by giving them advance notice of what courses they will be offered in the upcoming academic year in week 5 of Spring term. This year, PSU has violated specific provisions in our CBA in order to buy themselves extra time at the expense of part-time faculty. In breaking the multi-year contracts your union has fought for, they have, moreover, violated one of the only mechanisms for job protection you have. 

Simply, this means you and your adjunct colleagues’ rights are being violated and you have little to no job stability. It also means your students will not have access to the courses they need, taught by instructors they love, with the class sizes they deserve. 

In response to the breach of two-year contracts, your union, PSUFA, moved forward with a collective grievance. PSU has refused to acknowledge this grievance, citing numerous technicalities that ignore well-established past practices in the grievance process. They have also failed to respond to information requests about which adjuncts on 2 year contracts have been terminated. 

It is a classic union busting tactic to issue widespread layoffs as a retaliatory response to huge gains like the ones we won in our last contract negotiations in 2023. We can’t be sure of PSU’s motivations, but, we do know that 70 adjuncts were also terminated in spring of 2023. This most recent maneuver is a continuation of Admin’s problematic and pessimistic budgetary strategy: cut from the bottom in an effort to balance the budget of a mismanaged university.

Actions your union is taking in response:

  • File an ULP (Unfair Labor Practice) to pressure the university to uphold contracts and honor established past practices 

  • Pursue individual and collective grievances

  • Attempt to get adjunct classes either reinstated or get adjuncts paid out for the classes they are losing

  • Make sure that the university is following the assignment rights and appointment order guaranteed by Article 8 of your contract 

Your union is strongest when you participate! Here are a few ways you can contribute to our collective action:

  • Fill out this google form and tell us about your experience

  • Add your name to our collective grievance if you are on a 2 year contract and have received a non-renewal notice. Email grievances [at] psufa.org

  • Join your grievance committee. Email grievances [at] psufa.org and organizing [at] psufa.org