To our students, colleagues and the broader Tulane University community,
Welcome back to another academic year! We are excited about the changes this year will bring and would like to take this moment to share some news with our wider community.
As you may have heard, Tulane’s non-tenured faculty made history this summer: In a stunning 83% in favorTulane Workers United became the first recognized college teachers union in the state of Louisiana! Although it is commonly believed that unions cannot thrive in the Deep South, the courageous, tenured Tulane teachers have worked tirelessly over the past year to make this momentous change possible.
We believe that our faculty union will not only improve working conditions for faculty across Tulane, but will also raise the standard of excellence for which Tulane is known in many ways. Faculty working conditions are learning conditions for students, and as a community, we are at the peak together.
If you are new to Tulane or have not been following our union campaign, you may be wondering what this is all about. The best way to understand what a union means to Tulane is simply to look Tulane’s motto: not sibi, sed suis – or in English: “not for oneself, but for his own.”
A union is a way for Tulane faculty to work together to improve the lives of everyone at the university. Our union gives us a seat at the bargaining table with Tulane administration and gives us the opportunity to negotiate the things we all need to thrive, grow, and succeed at the university. While job security and better compensation are among the most obvious things unions negotiate for, they are certainly not the only ones.
In addition to combating the economic uncertainty that Tulane faculty often face, we hope to achieve successes for all of Tulane: from limiting class sizes that benefit our students to implementing transparent, democratic decision-making processes to advocating for greater social responsibility as Tulane engages with both the Uptown neighborhood and the city of New Orleans. We believe that with faculty involvement in the decision-making process, a better Tulane for all is possible!
While we are optimistic about Tulane’s future, there is much about the current situation that deeply concerns us. We believe it is important that the Tulane community understand our concerns and motivations for wanting change. While the experiences of Tulane faculty vary due to a variety of factors, NTT faculty experience many hardships that impact their lives and livelihoods. One of these, of course, is economic uncertainty. Students and parents are often surprised to learn that despite Tulane’s cost of over $88,000 per year—a price well above what National average — many full-time faculty members earn $50,000 or less — a salary well below the National average.
NTT faculty also experience job insecurity, opaque to nonexistent promotion and renewal policies, and a lack of respect within our departments and from university administration. We are always at risk of losing our jobs—especially those of us who are vocal about our opinions or advocate for ourselves and our colleagues.
A particularly shocking example of administrative abuses and retaliation occurred last spring, when Patrick Butler – then in his final year as a visiting lecturer in the Department of English with an annual salary of $45,000 – was offered a promotion to a long-term position as Professor of Practice.
Butler was also a visible union organizer and vocal advocate for NTT faculty. When his offer letter reached the desk of Brian Edwards, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Edwards made the unilateral decision to withdraw the offer and abandon the job search altogether—a decision that amounted to a firing due to the expiration of Butler’s VAP contract. Edwards’ reasons for this de facto firing were flimsy and were contested by both the hiring committee and the English faculty.
The real reason was obvious: Butler was a union official and this was retaliation. Shortly after celebrating his promotion, Butler found himself without a job and without income. Since graduate recruitment occurs in annual cycles—positions are advertised in the fall, interviews are held in the winter, and offers are made in the spring—Butler was likely facing a lengthy period of unemployment.
Edwards’ decision also meant that the English department would be understaffed the coming year. Because of this, the dean’s office approved an adjunct position, which Butler was quickly given. In the fall, Butler would return to teaching three courses – the same work he had done before. His new salary? $22,000. Yes, that’s $22,000 a year. Tulane Workers United filed an unfair labor practice suit against Tulane.
While Butler’s experience is certainly alarming in its vindictive nature, it is also an example of the disrespect and insecurity that Tulane faculty have experienced for years. If you speak out, your tenure may not be renewed—or your salary may be cut in half. Until now, we’ve had little recourse to do anything about it. And if you’ve ever wondered why your favorite professors always seem to move on to other universities, this is why.
But our union gives us the ability to address these issues and invest in the long-term health of Tulane. With our collective voice, we can speak and be heard—with the protection of a union contract backed by our own collective power, we can speak without fear of retaliation. Our union affiliation also means a level of transparency never seen at Tulane—and that’s critical if we want to create real change.
For example, our union gives us the right to see Tulane’s budget and work with the administration to resolve these issues. It gives us the ability to negotiate transparent hiring, renewal and promotion processes.
It gives us the opportunity to participate in the decisions that most impact our lives and livelihoods. It also puts us in a better position to help staff, faculty and others at Tulane who want to form their own bargaining units and increase worker power in all positions.
But we’re not there yet. Our unionization is a huge achievement, but it won’t mean much until we sign our first contract with the university. That’s what this year is about. While the Tulane administration has tried to delay this process at every turn, we’re calling on them to do the right thing this year: negotiate with us in a timely, fair and transparent manner. We believe that if we work together on these issues, the result will be a better Tulane for everyone.
In the meantime, however, we urge Tulane to demonstrate that they are acting in good faith by reinstating Butler to the position offered and holding Edwards accountable for his retaliatory actions. Retaliation and vindictiveness are not a good starting point for good faith negotiations. We want to work with the Tulane administration to negotiate a contract that works for everyone. We hope Tulane is committed to this process as well.
In solidarity with all our colleagues in all positions at this university,
Organizing Committee of Tulane Workers United
