Part-time faculty at Ithaca College voted to unionize on Thursday after a four-month effort. Union “yes” votes prevailed by a margin of 119.
“I’m feeling pretty good about that,” says Ithaca College adjunct lecturer Rachel Kaufman. She helped organize the effort.
“A lot of people really want this union,” she says. “It’s something we had a strong sense of before, but it’s great to have it confirmed. I’m really looking forward to negotiations and making things better.”
Kaufman says the group hasn’t settled on a list of priorities yet. If there are no legal challenges to the vote, they'll join the Service Employees International Union. Contract negotiations could address pay, working conditions and other issues.
Ithaca College President Thomas Rochon said in a statement that he hopes the parties will reach a contract amicably.
According to the National Labor Relations Board, about 70 percent of eligible part-time faculty voted.