Frequently Asked Questions

Yes.

We are United Academics of Oregon State University.  Through teaching, research, and outreach, we generate and share knowledge to advance lives, communities, and our understanding of the world in which we live.  We believe that an empowered faculty will enhance the learning environment for our students, create stronger partnerships with our communities, and help build a better OSU for current and future generations.  For these reasons, we are organizing our union.

United, we have the strength to:

Champion academic freedom, rigorous discourse, and scientific inquiry
Ensure shared governance of the university
Secure working conditions that promote excellence and innovation
Support myriad voices and invite new perspectives
Protect the quality of education, research, and outreach
Defend and uphold the principles of public education

Members of our local will make decisions about dues, including the specific rate and how dues will be assessed.

Union dues cover the basic costs of union representation in order to keep the organization strong and effective. Contract bargaining, contract enforcement, membership meetings, outreach, internal organizing efforts, office space – all of these require financial resources. Dues also cover affiliation fees. These fees cover the costs of various activities, including political action, research, new faculty organizing campaigns, and continued support to locals. For United Academics of Oregon State University (UAOSU) in particular, affiliation fees would be paid to the AFT and AAUP national and state federations, as well as the Oregon AFL-CIO.

It is typical for faculty unions to assess dues as a percentage of salary, though some unions choose to implement a flat fee. Most AAUP and AFT faculty unions have rates in the range of 1%-2% of a faculty member’s total salary. No one pays dues until members have successfully bargained and ratified a first contract.