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PLRB rules Pitt faculty union eligibility list was ‘factually and legally inaccurate’

Faculty union organizers are still hopeful they’ll be able to hold a vote.
June 26, 2020
A hearing examiner delivered a victory to faculty union organizers when he ruled Thursday that a Pitt-submitted list was “factually and legally inaccurate.”

Faculty union organizers earn second chance to prompt union election

The Pitt faculty union organizers will have another chance to prove interest in a union election in four months.
December 6, 2019

After a round of hearings this week meant to finalize the size of Pitt’s faculty union bargaining unit, organizers will get another chance to prove they have enough interest to prompt a union election...

Pitt removes administrators, retirees from faculty union eligibility

Pitt removes administrators, retirees from faculty union eligibility
December 3, 2019
Faculty union organizers have argued since June that Pitt deliberately inflated its list of 4,018 union-eligible faculty with hundreds of retirees and administrators in order to derail unionization efforts.

SGB passes resolution backing proposed PLRB grad union ruling

A resolution proposed by board member Eric Macadangdang calling on support for University labor and rights to organize without unlawful intrusion passed at last night’s meeting. It comes about a month after Pitt filed an exception to a ruling proposed by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board on Sept. 18, halting its orders.
November 20, 2019
Student Government Board unanimously passed a resolution at its Tuesday night meeting calling on support for University labor and rights to organize without unlawful intrusion.

Part 3 | Faculty union organizers’ next steps

Paul Johnson, a faculty union organizer and Pitt communications professor, gives information about the union’s progress to about 50 people in the William Pitt Union Ballroom in January 2018.
October 17, 2019
Forming a faculty union at a Pennsylvania university actually isn’t too complicated — in theory.

Part 2 | A look at the back-and-forth between Pitt, faculty union organizers

University of Pittsburgh faculty unionizers at the People’s Pride parade in June 2018.
Organizers accused Pitt of inflating the bargaining unit to derail unionization efforts. Pitt representatives called it a misunderstanding.
October 17, 2019
An “inflated” union eligibility list dilutes the significance of each authorization card, making it harder for union organizers to collect cards from the 30% of faculty needed to prompt a union election.

Part 1 | Who did Pitt include on its list of union-eligible faculty?

Faculty union organizers challenged hundreds of the names Pitt included in its list of faculty eligible for a bargaining unit.
Pitt included the names of at least 100 administrators and retired faculty on the eligibility list, along with a number of graduate students who may or may not hold faculty appointments. Union organizers have challenged hundreds more.
October 15, 2019
Pitt included more than 100 administrators, graduate students and retired professors on the list of faculty eligible for a union.

Series | Pitt included retirees, administrators in faculty union bargaining unit

Tyler Bickford, a professor in the English department, drops one of the first union cards at a kick-off event held by Pitt faculty union organizers in the William Pitt Union Ballroom in January 2018.
Faculty union organizers called the move “disgusting and obvious union busting.” Pitt chalked it up to poor communication.
October 15, 2019
Faculty union organizers called the move “disgusting and obvious union busting.” Pitt chalked it up to poor communication.

Pitt files exception to proposed grad union ruling

Hearing Examiner Stephen Helmerich said Pitt committed “coercive acts” leading up to the April grad student unionization vote.
October 8, 2019
Pitt filed an exception Tuesday to a proposed ruling by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.

Grad union organizers ready campaign for second election

Union organizer Kim Garrett addresses the crowd at Bernie Sanders’ rally in Schenley Plaza in April.
September 24, 2019
Just days after a Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board official ruled that Pitt committed unfair labor practices during April’s graduate student union election and ordered a new election, union organizers said they are gearing up for a second election sometime this semester.
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