The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
Supporters of the faculty union gather outside of the William Pitt Union on Friday, Feb. 24.

United Steelworkers cite delayed bargaining with faculty in unfair labor practice charges against Pitt

By Jack Troy, Senior Staff Writer • November 28, 2023
The United Steelworkers filed unfair labor practice charges against Pitt on Monday for allegedly failing to bargain in good faith with faculty on compensation, layoff policies and research support, according to a press release from the union.
The Pitt Faculty Assembly meeting on Wednesday.

Faculty assembly talks faculty union criticisms, IPA policy

By Khushi Rai, Staff Writer • November 4, 2022
To Faculty Assembly Vice President Kristin Kanthak, the recent actions of the faculty union are “frustrating and embarrassing”.
The Cathedral of Learning seen from Schenley Plaza.

Pitt faculty union elects bargaining committee, begins negotiating with administration

By Neena Hagen and Jack Troy • March 1, 2022
Four months after Pitt faculty voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionization, the union’s newly formed bargaining committee sat down alongside United Steelworkers representatives last Friday to negotiate with the administration for the first time.
Researchers and professors from across all Pitt campuses have voted to form a faculty union, according to a copy of an election returns document obtained by The Pitt News.

Pitt faculty vote to form union by wide margin

By Rebecca Johnson, Martha Layne, Jon Moss, and Alexandra Ross • October 19, 2021
Researchers and professors from across all Pitt campuses voted resoundingly to form a faculty union, according to a copy of an election returns document obtained by The Pitt News.
Pitt’s Office of University Counsel paid Philadelphia-based Ballard Spahr, a “union avoidance” law firm, $1,071,573 in fees between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, to provide legal support during the separate graduate student and faculty campaigns for unionization.

Pitt’s bill for ‘union avoidance’ law firm passes $1 million

By Jon Moss, News Editor • January 12, 2020
A “union avoidance” law firm continues to receive a large windfall of legal fees from Pitt, recently passing $1 million, according to University financial disclosure reports.
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.

Part 3 | Faculty union organizers’ next steps

By Neena Hagen, Senior Staff Writer • October 17, 2019
Forming a faculty union at a Pennsylvania university actually isn’t too complicated — in theory.
University of Pittsburgh faculty unionizers at the People’s Pride parade in June 2018.

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

By Neena Hagen, Senior Staff Writer • 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.
Hearing Examiner Stephen Helmerich said Pitt committed “coercive acts” leading up to the April grad student unionization vote.

Pitt files exception to proposed grad union ruling

By Jon Moss, Assistant News Editor • October 8, 2019
Pitt filed an exception Tuesday to a proposed ruling by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.
Faculty union organizers challenged hundreds of the names Pitt included in its list of faculty eligible for a bargaining unit.

Faculty union organizers up in arms after Pitt’s administration rejects Labor Board subpoena

By Neena Hagen, Senior Staff Writer • July 19, 2019
After ruling June 18 that the size of the bargaining unit for Pitt’s faculty union was under review, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board ordered Pitt to turn over several pieces of information to faculty union organizers — most notably, a list of faculty eligible to be in the potential bargaining unit.
Faculty union organizers challenged hundreds of the names Pitt included in its list of faculty eligible for a bargaining unit.

PLRB orders hearing on faculty union complaint

By Neena Hagen, Senior Staff Writer • June 18, 2019
Faculty union organizers faced a major setback when the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board ruled in April they failed to collect enough signed authorization cards to prompt a union election.
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