There is strength in unity. Membership in the WIT Faculty Federation allows faculty and librarians to negotiate collectively with the Wentworth administration in a manner protected by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). It provides our members with legal advice and representation from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and grants them a united and democratic voice in the negotiation of the following workplace conditions:

- fair wages that keep up with cost of living

- retirement contributions

- affordable health care

- affordable child and elder care

- transportation and parking benefits

- fair evaluation and grievance policies

- job security and safety

- stable and flexible schedules

- work modalities

- the right to mobilize strikes and protest unfair workplace practices

A union can only function, however, with a strong base of paid member support. If a union does not have a membership that represents the majority of its bargaining unit, an employer can have a union decertified through a withdrawal of recognition request as happened at Quinnipiac University in 2006. If a union is decertified, workers must go back to trusting their employer to act in their best interest.

Also, keep in mind that although WIT has regular appointment and professor ranks, you are NOT protected by tenure as at other institutions. At WIT, you can be relieved of your position for “just cause.” However, said termination may be challenged through the grievance and arbitration procedures of Articles VIII and IX in the Federation contract.. In this way, the Federation can intercede on your behalf to help protect you from wrongful dismissal.

The American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, was founded in 1916 and today represents 1.7 million members in more than 3,000 local affiliates nationwide.

Watch a video on the history of the AFT, on Youtube. Video

Any full-time faculty member or librarian whose role does not involve the direct hiring and evaluation of other employees may join the federation. If you are looking to fill-out a federation membership card, please click HERE.

Should Wentworth professional staff (clerical and technical) ever choose to unionize in accordance with their NLRB rights, they could be welcomed into our AFT bargaining unit as well. For more on how the AFT represents professional staff, see HERE.

Without a union, faculty and librarians have to trust the Wentworth administration to act in their best interest.

Without a union, faculty and librarians would have no ability to redress workplace concerns unless the administration chose to discuss them (which is the current situation with the Wentworth staff).

With a union, however, faculty and librarians are legally entitled to bargain with the administration in regard to their working conditions. Thus, since the Wentworth Federation was founded in 1973, faculty and staff have been able to negotiate for improved working conditions on literally all the topics listed above.

In the summer of 2023, the Federation negotiated a three-year contract with the institute, which resulted in the following workplace benefits:

1) A salary Increase of 16.5% over three years (likely the highest in federation history).

2) Minimum base-pay salary increases across all ranks of professors.

3) The retention of merit pay and upcoming increases to the merit pool added to base salary.

4) Additional modes of course buyout and course releases.

5) Guaranteed funds for professional development.

6) The inclusion of lecturers in the bargaining unit.

7) Increased transparency in terms of evaluation and promotion processes.

8) The retention of a guaranteed 10% 401K contribution.

If you meet the eligibility criteria outlined above in the “Who can join?” section, please fill out a membership card HERE and inform the executive committee about your intention to join (for our records).

Currently, annual union dues are ca. $750.00 a year or around $29 per bi-weekly pay check. Federation dues cover:

- the salaries of AFT workers assigned to advise our team

- the costs to enforce the contract, such as legal fees (e.g., if a grievance needs to be filed on the federation’s behalf to the NLRB)

- and for federation communication tools like this website, stickers, buttons etc.

The current 2023-2026 contract can be dowloaded by clicking HERE. In addition, the most recent MOU from 2023 is available HERE.

“Among the rights protected by Section 7 of the NLRA is the right of union-represented employees, upon request, to have their representative present during an interview that the employee reasonably believes could lead to discipline. This right was first articulated by the Supreme Court in the case, NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc. In that case, the Court found that Section 7 of the NLRA protects employees who refuse to submit to certain interviews without a requested representative present. “(https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/weingarten-rights)

For more on Weingarten rights, check out this YouTube video HERE.