There are different sources of union power, not only bargaining and enforcing a contract but also the power of an active membership that is engaged with management and the broader community
Read MoreThink Metro: Cooperation Between Unions in a Metropolitan area, by Stephanie S. Reich
Read MoreELECTION RESULTS 2019
Congratulations and thanks to all who ran for Union office. Special thanks to the Union Election Committee, which included Ayn Inserto, Rob Hochschild, and Joel Schwindt.
Every year, the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions organizes a conference on collective bargaining in higher education. Notably, conference participants include representatives of “both sides,” academic labor and administration. This year marked the forty-sixth conference. It was my first.
Read MoreThe National Center for Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions holds an annual conference convening hundreds of higher education administrators, union representatives, faculty, scholars, graduate students, and attorneys.
Your Berklee Faculty Union contingent was David Scott (Councilor-at-large), Will Silvio (assistant to the President), Stephanie Reich (Councilor-at-large), Andrew Shryock (Councilor-at-large), and Danny Harrington (Executive Vice President).
Read MoreDisability Services emails you a notification about a student. Your department chair requests your input on a spreadsheet. Both contacted you through your “Berklee” email — hosted by Google, and you must view those documents on GoogleDrive.
Read MoreLast Thursday, the Union Executive Committee concluded four consecutive weeks of Union-initiated discussion with College administration on topics related to barriers to student success at Berklee. The Union requested these meetings because many faculty report that their students have needs in the areas of access and support. Specific topics included universal access to physical facilities (Jan. 31), learning support programs (Feb. 7), psychological support programs (Feb. 14), and the Early Alert system (Feb. 21). The image that emerges reveals sustained and substantive investment of physical, financial, and human resources. Yet challenges persist. Hiccups, too.
Read MoreOn January 28, representatives of Berklee Faculty Union leadership met with the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Senior administrators of the College and Conservatory were also in attendance. The two groups met several years ago, and since that time, the Union has sought to establish an ongoing dialogue, in order to share faculty perspective on long-term planning and institutional strategy at Berklee.
Read MoreHave you visited the Berklee Counseling Center and Health and Wellness Center recently, at 54 and 32 The Fenway? Did you notice that they are not Universally Accessible? The Berklee Faculty Union will be meeting on Thursday with the administration to present our concerns about this situation, and to discuss when the College will make these important offices fully accessible to all. We will be expressing how passionately we feel about this, and that we hope to work together with the College to find solutions.
Read MoreDear Colleagues,
The Union is pleased to announce that the faculty overwhelmingly voted to ratify the contract. I will be meeting with Roger Brown in the near future to sign the agreement. Retroactive raises are expected in the December 13th check.
I would like to thank the bargaining team for their dedication and hard work in getting this done.
Congratulations,
Jackson Schultz
President, Berklee Faculty Union
This fall the Berklee Faculty Union provided music for the annual volunteer celebration of an all-volunteer organization called the Eastern Service Workers Association.
Read MoreBerklee Faculty Union statement on faculty contract negotiations with Berklee College of Music: “When will the College address the Union’s proposals?”
Read MoreDid you know?
In spring 2018, 101 part-time faculty members at Berklee and Boston Conservatory at Berklee taught 16 or more units. In other words, 101 people were teaching at loads similar to full-timers.
In many departments, the number of full time faculty members is insufficient to handle all the required service to the college.
As a result of collective bargaining, 24 part-timers have been converted to full time since 2013.
This is not enough.
In our bargaining with management this summer, we are asking for more conversions. Teachers with job security are more effective, more committed to the college, and – guess what? – happier.
At the first day of bargaining with management, the union was told that Berklee full-time faculty salaries ranked in the top half of peer institutions.
Really?
Read MoreAs of Monday, July 16th, the Berklee Faculty Union bargaining team has officially begun meeting with management to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.
Read MoreThe other day I was chatting with a colleague who asked me, “How are things going with the union these days?” and I replied that I was going to be attending the Collective Bargaining in Higher Education Conference in New York City.
Read MoreI am writing to ask you to participate with me in the Berklee graduation this year. (Please read on!) I continue to make this a priority to the benefit of the students and their families.
Read MoreCommencement is one of my favorite Berklee activities. It can be a great opportunity to see and socialize with colleagues, and you get to wear incredibly festive regalia.
Read MoreOver on our Facebook page we've had a good deal of chatter lately because we unearthed some photos from the 1986 faculty strike, so it seemed like a good time to re-run this piece about those days with hindsight of 30 years.
Read MoreFaculty members of ETUDE (Enhancing Teaching through an Understanding of Diversity and Equity) are trying to create Safe Allies for students—so they can feel safe reaching out for help and support. Equity Partners volunteer to participate in a professional development training on equity in order to develop the knowledge and skills to ensure that all faculty, staff, and students feel welcome as full members of the Berklee community.
Read MoreWe're the Berklee Faculty Union, established in 1986, a chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, Local 4412, AFT-MA, AFL-CIO.
When a person becomes a faculty member at Berklee College of Music they can choose their level of membership within the Union.
For the Berklee faculty, our union is imperative. Through our collective efforts, we’ve lowered our classroom hours, assured our pay is acceptable, and protected our best interests in contract negotiations. We’re backed not only by each other, but by the resources and skills of the AFT.
Without our union, we’d go backwards. Let’s keep going forward.
Berklee Faculty Union
MS1140 AFT - Massachusetts
1140 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02215-3693(617)
(617) 747-8206
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