The New School part-time faculty and the ACT-UAW union rallied outside the University Center today, voicing their anger over the on-going contract negotiations between administration and the union.
From 11 to 12:30 about 200 faculty marched outside the entrance to the University Center, holding signs and yelling chants.
“The main goal is to let the administration know that we are serious about getting a fair contract, we’re serious about getting decent raises, we’re serious about making sure that our health insurance is still affordable and we’re serious about job security,” said Emily Barnett, President of the ACT-UAW Local 7902.
The union’s demands include what it calls fair wages, affordable healthcare for individuals and families and job security, among others.
“I have news for the school,” Barnett said. “We are special, we are prominent and everybody who teaches part time is not only welcome in our union but they will be glad to be part of the union.”
“Our long term faculty is living in fear of termination,” added Mary Barto, Vice President of ACT-UAW,. “Courses are cut with no communication with the faculty.”
Part-time faculty at the rally expressed their anger towards New School administration.
“I love the New School but health care is what has kept me here,” said Dr. Warren Spielberg, a part-time faculty member teaching Psychology at NSPE. “I have a family. I need the health care. It feels ungrateful and extremely disrespectful that they would do this to 80% of the faculty.”
Other part-time faculty agreed.
“It’s gonna be hardship because we do need health care and the current proposal is to cut family health care and to raise the premium for individuals. At the same time, you’re not getting any basic increase in salary,” said Earl Scott, who teaches business law at Parsons.
Administration has yet to comment publicly in response to the unions claims, but in an email this morning President Van Zandt said, “We are working closely with their union to reach a fair and responsible new contract. We have made important progress recently, and we look forward to continuing these discussions in the next few days.”
UPDATED on Thursday, March 26