Unionization In The Classroom: GW's Response To Organizing Part-Time Faculty


Back to Index

UPDATE ON STATUS OF UNION ELECTION (printer-friendly version)(printer-friendly version (PDF))

January 19, 2005

During the week of January 10, there was a four-day hearing held by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the National Labor Relations Board. More than 20 witnesses presented testimony and more than 40 exhibits were admitted into evidence. At the conclusion of the hearing, the ALJ invited both parties to file briefs and set the due date at February 10. Upon review of the testimony at the hearing, the documents placed into evidence, and the parties’ briefs, the ALJ will then make a recommendation as to the status of the remaining contested challenges. The parties will have an opportunity to file exceptions to those recommendations, and the entire record will be forwarded to the National Labor Relations Board for its determination on which of the challenged ballots should be opened. Thereafter, a re-tally of the ballots will be conducted.

The University's position has consistently been that the votes of all part-time faculty employed by GW who meet the eligibility criteria should count, but regretfully, the Service Employees International Union (Service Employees) chose to challenge the ballots of dozens of eligible voters. The University worked in good faith to resolve these challenges and eventually the Service Employees withdrew its challenges to all but 15 of the 50 ballots it initially challenged. Because the Service Employees refused to withdraw its challenges to the remaining 15 ballots, an Administrative Law Judge of the National Labor Relations Board conducted this week’s hearing.

The four-day hearing included testimony from many of the part-time faculty members whose ballots the union challenged.

The University regrets that this hearing was necessary, but believes strongly that the ballots filed by eligible part-time faculty should be counted.