NTFC Local #6546, the union that represents roughly 500 non-tenure-track faculty at the University of Illinois, voted overwhelmingly last night to strike again, this time for five days.
Non-tenure track faculty, most of whom work on nine-month contracts, are asking for non-monetary improvements to their working conditions. These improvements include evaluations, the opportunity to participate in professional development, timely notices of re-appointment in advance of the school year, and two-year contracts for those who have worked for the University for at least five years. At UIC, non-tenure-track faculty already enjoy many of these provisions in their contract, but the UIUC administration continues to claim that our non-tenure-track faculty cannot be accorded the same.
The requests of non-tenure-track faculty would, of course, benefit students, who deserve to have instructors who will be around in future semesters to mentor them and provide them letters of recommendation. But these requests would also benefit C-U as a whole. Multiyear contracts for non-tenure-track faculty mean that a greater number of faculty members would put down roots in C-U: buying homes, joining community organizations, and becoming familiar with local businesses and services. NTFC is asking for job security, which is necessary to strengthen one’s ties to a community.
The University of Illinois administration’s continued disregard for NTFC’s very basic requests shows a complete lack of respect for these faculty members and the educations they provide to their students.