Unions provide a way for working people to protect their benefits and labor rights, as well as build solidarity with coworkers to fight for better working conditions.
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) guarantees several rights for workers, including:
- The right to self-organize by forming or joining unions to bargain collectively
- The right to talk about union organizing efforts during nonwork times, such as breaks
- The right to sign union petitions and cards without retaliation
- The right to hand out union literature during nonwork time
- The right to participate in union activity without monitoring
Members of CSU-AAUP's bargaining unit (all faculty at the CSUs) are covered by our negotiated contracts. Dues-paying union members can vote for leadership and run for union offices. Becoming a dues-paying union member is a great way to support the work our union does and get more involved. It builds our strength when bargaining with the bosses and supports our operations.
Click here for our Contract page.
What to do if management violates the contract?
A grievance is an "allegation or complaint that there has been a violation of the collective bargaining agreement and/or procedures or prescribed criteria rules established expressly pursuant to this agreement," according to our contract. See Article 15 for detailed information on our grievance process.
A grievance is NOT a dispute with a coworker or a complaint about something that is not protected by our contract.
- Write down the time, place, who was involved and what was said to start a record of the violation
- Fill out our grievance form to the best of your ability
- Contact your chapter's grievance officer or chapter president with all the details you have about the complaint (find contact info on your chapter's webpage) and send them the completed grievance form
- Your chapter officials will help analyze the situation to determine if a violation of the contract occurred. If it did, you can file a formal grievance and start the process
- The formal grievance must be filed with HR within 30 calendars of the alleged violation
Our grievance process has four steps.
Step One: The dean or vice president of the campus will investigate the grievance and meet with the grievant and union representative. The dean or vice president will issue a decision. If the grievant does not agree with the decision, he or she can appeal it and go to the next step.
Step Two: If the initial decision is appealed, the campus president and local AAUP chapter president (or designees) will meet to hear the grievance and review the information. If the two presidents reach an agreement, it will be binding. If not, the grievance will move on.
Step Three: A State University Grievance Arbitration Committee will review the grievance. This committee includes the CSU-AAUP president and BOR president (or designees). This committee's decisions will be binding. If the committee fails to reach an agreement, the grievance will move on.
Step Four: The final step is arbitration by a third-party, with the costs to be split between management and CSU-AAUP. The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding. It is rare for grievances to reach this step as it is costly for all parties.
