Faculty Resources and FAQs
Faculty members are considered management under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). As managers, faculty members have specific responsibilities in a unionized environment. If you have questions about these responsibilities, feel free to e-mail them to graduateunionupdate@cornell.edu.
Faculty Resources
- Weingarten Rights: Frequently Asked Questions and Campus Scenarios
- Talking About the Union: Do’s and Don’ts for Faculty
FAQs
Do I have any legal obligations as a faculty member?
Yes. As faculty, you are considered management under the NLRA, and such positions come with specific responsibilities. Therefore, you must refrain from engaging in unlawful conduct that could be perceived as threatening, coercing, or restricting graduate students in their right to participate in a union. Learn more on Talking About the Union: Do’s and Don’ts for Faculty.
In addition, because TAs, GRAs, RAs and GAs will now be represented by the UE, changes to terms and conditions of employment must be negotiated with the union. That means that the university, colleges, and departments cannot make unilateral changes to topics such as:
- Wages and benefits
- Working hours
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Assistantship discipline and discharge
- Assistantship grievance procedures
Federal labor law requires that changes to topics such as these may only occur after both the UE and the university agree through their respective representatives in the collective bargaining process.
It is important to note that programs retain full purview and freedom to engage with students on academic policies, institutional priorities and objectives, and programs that are not included in these mandatory subjects of bargaining.
My unit wants to survey graduate students about their experiences and the climate in our unit. Is this permissible?
Some subjects are permissible, while others are not. It is not permissible to survey students in the bargaining unit (TAs, RAs, GRAs, and GAs) about the terms and conditions of their employment. Doing so could be misconstrued as a threat or promise and could be cause for legal action by the union.
The subjects addressed in such surveys must be limited to academics, climate, professional development and other areas that are outside the terms and conditions of employment.