To: Wellesley College Faculty and Staff
From: Courtney Coile, Provost and Lia Gelin Poorvu ’56 Dean of the College, and Carolyn Slaboden, Chief Human Resources Officer
Re: WOAW-UAW Strike Authorization Vote
Date: February 14, 2025
As you may be aware, since May 2024 Wellesley College has been engaging in negotiations to reach a first contract with WOAW-UAW, the union representing the College’s non-tenure track (NTT) faculty members.
Yesterday, WOAW-UAW announced plans to hold a vote on whether to authorize a strike, as the union and the College continue to work towards a first contract. The vote will be held from Friday, February 14 to Friday, February 21. It is important to understand that a “yes” vote does not mean a strike has been called at this time. This vote is a standard procedural step that provides the union’s bargaining committee the authority to formally commence a strike at a future date.
We fully appreciate that the prospect of a strike creates uncertainty for faculty, staff, students, and their families, and we want to communicate some important information to you directly.
While we respect the union’s right to proceed with this process, we believe it is at the very least premature given the fact that the parties are in continual negotiations. Indeed, the union has not responded to the College’s initial economic offer. It is hard to understand why the union would take this step toward bringing disruption to our students when negotiations are ongoing and in no way at an impasse.
Wellesley recognizes the important role our NTT faculty play in supporting our academic mission and has committed to bargaining in good faith to reach a fair agreement that benefits these workers, while also being sure to balance the needs of our entire community. In particular, the College’s initial salary proposal is comprehensive and highly competitive. If enacted, it would bring the average salary for all bargaining unit employees (BUEs) to $92,259, well above the average salary in the current market, and would provide significant increases to starting salaries for visiting lecturers and lecturers.
In contrast, the union has put on the table an unrealistic set of proposals that would more than double the current compensation and benefits of BUEs, adding $17 million of expenses to the College’s annual budget in the first year of the contract, in across-the-board raises and other provisions including increased stipends, professional development, a mortgage program, tuition grants, dependent care benefits, severance, etc.
As to the issues surrounding workload, through this negotiation the College and union are bargaining over the proper role of BUEs. The contractual language the parties are discussing effectively reduces the BUE’s advising and service load, clarifies that research and publications are not expectations of the job, and concentrates on the BUEs fundamental role as instructors. The College’s proposal to change to a five course load reflects that the role of BUEs is primarily teaching, as distinct from the role of tenure track faculty, which includes teaching, research and scholarship, and extensive College and professional service obligations. The five course workload is already in place for visiting lecturers—a significant part of the bargaining unit—and is consistent with the expectations of peer institutions, the large majority of whom require five or six courses a year as a typical load for their non-tenure track lecturers.
To learn more about the College’s competitive and comprehensive offer, visit our bargaining website.
The union has also said on their website, as one basis for calling a strike vote, that “the College is refusing standard union protection for harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment.” This is false. To be clear, the College’s proposal prohibits such discrimination and allows for the union to take such cases to arbitration after an internal review. You can read key details from the College’s proposal on our bargaining website.
If the union members vote “yes,” and the union bargaining team decides to call a strike in the future, the academic experience of our students will remain our top priority. While we are hopeful this will not be the case, the College is actively preparing for a variety of contingencies to minimize disruptions and ensure the continuity of our academic program for our students.
Fair wages and benefits for all employees—including BUEs—are top priorities for the College. Regardless of the vote outcome, our bargaining team will continue to pursue a contract with the WOAW-UAW that is fair to our whole community and responsible with respect to the long-term financial health of the College, mindful of both the College’s structural deficit and new financial threats in the current environment.
More details will be shared in the coming week about the plans being developed to ensure that the College can continue to fulfill its educational mission for our students.
Information about the College’s principles and proposals can be found on the website.