Non-tenured faculty union election vote results not final

EVANSTON - Northwestern University has been informed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that results have not been finalized in the election on whether Northwestern non-tenure-track faculty members would be represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The election results are not final, because a number of ballots were challenged, affecting the results of the election. The vast majority of the challenged ballots were challenged by the SEIU.

The University anticipates that the NLRB Regional Office will schedule a hearing that will begin sometime in the next couple of weeks. The hearing will determine which of the challenged voters were eligible to vote in the election and whose ballots, therefore, should be opened and counted -- and which of the challenged voters were not eligible to vote and whose ballots, therefore, will not be counted in determining the final result. Based on the number of challenged ballots, coupled with the NLRB decision-making process and the possibility of an appeal to the full NLRB in Washington, D.C., it may take a considerable amount of time before the election results are finalized.

The SEIU had sought to become the representative for non-tenure-track faculty in Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, the School of Communication, the School of Education and Social Policy and/or the Bienen School of Music.

“Northwestern has been and remains committed to cultivating its relationship with its non-tenure-track faculty, keeping the lines of communication open and improving working conditions for all faculty members, including non-tenure-track faculty,” said Northwestern Provost Daniel Linzer. “We are grateful for their deep commitment to Northwestern University and to the education of our students.”