Messages

Messages Sent to the UT Community

August 18, 2018

Dear Faculty Colleague:

It is with much regret that I feel the need to send you this letter. However, I wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of a very serious challenge our University faces. Specifically, I have been informed by some concerned faculty members that a labor union has targeted you for a membership drive. I want to make my position on this issue clear at the beginning so there is no misunderstanding.

I do not believe having a union in our University is good for our faculty, their families or our future.

I believe the challenges we face in maintaining an outstanding learning experience for our students and continuing to thrive in a very competitive environment are best addressed by working together through shared governance. We know there are areas where we can improve. However, having an outside union impose itself between us knowing nothing about our team, our culture or our University is not the answer. We want to continue to work directly with faculty through shared governance. We do not wish to have a third-party intermediary with its own set of union-dictated rules and regulations that treat faculty as labor and university leadership as management.

Union organizers and employees who may support the union can be very persistent and persuasive in their efforts to get you to sign something called a “pledge or authorization card.” They may promise to “fix” or “change” whatever they believe you want and often provide incomplete and inaccurate information about the costs and risks of unionization. Union cards and petitions are legal documents, much like a mortgage/lease or car payment contract.

Our University is a dynamic institution and a great place to work. We have an excellent faculty and staff who are dedicated to their jobs. We provide competitive compensation and a positive work environment and are constantly looking for ways to make them even better. Faculty members participate in University governance, and the administration works closely with Faculty Senate to address issues that come up. A labor union is simply unnecessary in our environment. I sincerely hope you agree and that you choose not to sign any card or petition from this union.

I urge you not to make a final decision or sign anything before you consider all the facts!

Thank you for your time and your continued dedication to The University of Tampa. If you have questions about the union, union cards, and union rules or regulations, please forward them to the Provost, Human Resources or me, and we’ll strive to provide additional information.

Sincerely,

Ronald L. Vaughn, Ph.D.