Illinois State University Faculty File for Union Authorization

This week 650 tenured and tenure-track faculty members at Illinois State University filed union authorization and membership cards. The United Faculty of ISU (UFISU) officially launched its unionization drive in August, with an overwhelming majority of faculty expressing support by signing cards since then. Upon certification, expected in December, UFISU will be a chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois affiliated with the AAUP, the AFT, and the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

“It’s a really exciting moment for us,” said assistant professor of teaching and learning Xiaoying Zhao. “We have taken the necessary steps to formalize our union and send a clear message that the faculty at ISU want a strong voice to advocate for the needs of our students, this institution, and our colleagues who are dedicated to them both.”

According to the UFISU website, focus areas for the union will include resources and support for teaching and research; equity and inclusion; fair and equitable compensation; shared governance, administrative transparency, and due process; student mental health and support services; and collaboration “with other groups to uphold the common mission of making ISU a great place to work and learn.”

AAUP president Irene Mulvey said, “I am delighted to welcome my incredible faculty colleagues at Illinois State University to the growing academic labor movement that is transforming higher education in America. The strong collective voice of unionized faculty at ISU will create a more just and equitable campus and ensure that the core academic mission is prioritized.”

UFISU joins several other AAUP-AFT units organized this year, including those at Miami University in Ohio and the Maryland community college system. AFT president Randi Weingarten said, “The Illinois State faculty joined together to win a seat at the table to secure the wages, conditions, and voice they need for their students to thrive.”