Posts tagged community college
Labor Watch: Harvard Grad Students End 40-Day Strike
June 3, 2026 // he Harvard Graduate Students Union announced Monday that its 40-day strike has ended “with the close of the academic year,” though the union has still not reached a bargaining agreement with the university. The strike—the longest in the union’s history—spanned the end-of-semester grading period and university commencement, which wrapped on Friday. Over the last several weeks, the university offered to expand benefits to all graduate student workers, provide dental coverage for Ph.D. students and increase its four-year raise proposal by 1 percent, the union said in a news release. These moves were the “first indication of engagement” from the university on the union’s priorities, the release said.
First-Ever Bargaining Compact Unites Higher Ed Unions Across Northeastern US
May 5, 2026 // Together, they drafted a document called the Amherst Compact. While it is largely aspirational, it commits HELU to working “to coordinate bargaining priorities that raise the floor for workers of all job categories across the most densely-unionized region of the U.S.,” the Northeast. Moreover, the agreement pledges solidarity across job titles, even on campuses where multiple unions represent workers in different employment categories — buildings and grounds; clerical; custodial; food service; research; security; or teaching — and regardless of whether the workers are employed by university hospitals or degree-granting bodies.
One of Oregon’s Most Powerful Unions Is Rebelling Against Democrats
April 23, 2026 // Although many donors contribute to individual candidates, OEA sends most of its legislative contributions to caucus leaders, who distribute the cash to candidates in tight races. That ensures maximum influence with leaders, who in turn decide which bills get hearings and who gets committee chairmanships. (A 2012 study by the Fordham Institute ranked OEA the second-most powerful teachers union in the country—only the Illinois teachers union ranked higher.) In addition to large and steady contributions, OEA also developed a reputation for punishing Democrats who failed to fall in line, as Sollman is now learning. One infamous example still echoes nearly two decades later.
Maryland lawmakers pass bill granting some college professors union rights
April 12, 2026 // The unions would be under the American Federation of Teachers, which represents K-12 educators, higher education faculty and staff, state employees, nurses and health care professionals. The Maryland chapter represents over 18,000 workers. Kenya Campbell, president of AFT Maryland, said she expects Moore to sign the bill this year but said the work isn’t over. “We’re going to continue to fight until all faculty across the state of Maryland have the right to collectively bargain,” she said. The bill has advanced despite opposition from the University System of Maryland, the parent organization overseeing most of the public universities in the state.
Baltimore City Community College staff demand ‘fair’ and timely wages
September 12, 2025 // After rallying for about 25 minutes, faculty and supporters walked to the administration building to deliver a list of demands to College President Debra McCurdy. They were greeted instead by Michael Thomas, the vice president of workforce development and continuing education, who took the list from Ryan Castle, AFT Maryland higher ed organizer, before everyone left the lobby. The list of requests includes: Timely and accurate pay for all faculty, including overload and adjunct work; Transparent communication and accountability from BCCC administration; Hiring and staffing solutions to fill vacant courses and reduce student impact; and Support for all faculty and respect for collective bargaining rights.
Anne Arundel Community College professors unionize for more clarity, structure
April 1, 2025 // The union, called Riverhawk Educators United, earned recognition from the state employee relations board late last week with 62% of faculty in support. Now, the group will start negotiating its first official contract. Nicole Williams, chair of the human services department, said she’s hoping the union will bring more structure and clarity. “We have policies, but we need more policies. There's structure, but we need more structure,” Williams told WYPR.
Dual enrollment students’ classes could be disrupted by looming community college strike in Philly
March 19, 2025 // Over the weekend, 97% of the community college’s staff and faculty union members voted to authorize a strike, should their union and the college’s administration fail to reach a contract agreement. The union is demanding pay raises that keep pace with inflation and class size reductions, the return of a child care center on campus, and subsidized transit passes for staff and students. The vote means union members agreed to allow their leadership to call a strike at any time, but the faculty are not on strike.
Op-ed: Protect American workers: How Trump’s team can fulfill his promise
March 6, 2025 // Regulatory reform is needed at three federal agencies that oversee labor laws and regulations: the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. At the Labor Department, the administration should remove the economically inept "environmental, social and governance" investment criteria and instead protect workers’ retirement savings. Investment managers should be prohibited from advancing political agendas that reduce pension returns. The administration should guarantee workers freedom of information and transparency, so union members know how their leaders are spending dues.
NMSU faculty petition to unionize
March 18, 2024 // A group of nearly 30 NMSU faculty members worked to get more than half of the faculty on board with union efforts. “We have secured the signature on 460 certification cards, some of them digital and some of them hard copy,” NMSU geography professor Christopher Brown said.