Dear Colleagues,
I’m writing to provide an important update on the university’s response to the National Education Association (NEA) campaign to unionize our employees. Those who have followed this matter closely understand that the union’s latest goal is to drive wedges into the UNH community by separating a few hundred of our OS and PAT employees into narrowly defined groups that would constitute three different bargaining units. This would allow merely a few hundred employees to determine if all of our OS and PAT staff work in a unionized environment and, in my opinion, could limit our ability to reward and retain the world class workforce required to achieve our mission as a flagship research university.
For this reason, the university must challenge the NEA’s approach. Later today, UNH will file documents with the NH Public Employee Labor Relations Board requesting that the NEA’s proposed bargaining units be expanded significantly to include nearly all OS and PAT employees, thereby giving nearly every employee a vote on this important matter that will affect us all. We believe that expanding the proposed units is the only course of action to ensure continued success at UNH in achieving our mission. Our reasons include:
First, expanding the bargaining units to include most OS and PAT employees would ensure that the maximum number employees have an opportunity to vote in a certification election, if and when one is scheduled. Union representation for even a small number of OS and PAT employees could change the culture, practices and procedures for everyone, even non-unionized staff, within our workplace. We believe that all eligible OS and PAT employees have the right to voice their “yes” or “no” vote on this matter that will affect all of us.
Second, the NEA has proposed three, very specific bargaining units that include only 25 percent (about 500) of OS and PAT employees. If this scenario is not challenged by the university, we could have employees in various functional areas who belong to three different bargaining units, likely with at least some different benefits, work rules and compensation structure for each. Imagine the complexity of working in or managing an office or department where 75 percent of the OS and PAT employees are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement and the remaining 25 percent are but distributed across three different bargaining units. Imagine employees who have worked side-by-side for years being divided across these artificial lines. This could diminish the strong sense of community that you and your colleagues have cultivated and value so greatly.
Finally, the NEA has communicated its intention to continue its campaign to unionize more UNH staff in the coming months and years. A permanent, on-going unionizing campaign is an unnecessary distraction that can prevent us from attending to our students’ success and academic mission—the primary reasons we are all committed to UNH.
I believe a fair, democratic election that includes the maximum number of eligible OS and PAT employees is the only way to resolve—once and for all—the question of whether a union is in our employees’ best interest. This important decision should not be determined by a small percentage of our employees as unionization could indefinitely and directly impact all of us.
Over the coming days, you will hear more from the leaders of your unit. I urge you to talk with one another, ask questions and carefully consider these options. Most importantly, I urge you to vote in this decision, if and when the time comes. Put simply, your voice matters. I will provide further updates on this subject as we proceed.
Sincerely,
Mark W. Huddleston
President
Read more in Your Voice Matters, a series of communications from university leadership to provide clarity about efforts to unionize UNH staff, where you can also submit questions and feedback.
