AFT Convention: National federation takes necessary steps to tackle issues crucial to public education

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is determined to use its collective power to promote higher education’s agenda.

In her address to hundreds of higher education delegates attending the federation’s 77th convention this summer in Las Vegas, AFT President Sandra Feldman also promised to “show the world the level of our intellectual capacity.” She said the AFT next fall will begin publishing “Academic Labor,” a scholarly journal.

“Higher education has always made an enormous contribution to our union character,” Feldman said. “That tradition continues today. ... You can count on the AFT to put the strength of the union behind your issues.”

That commitment became apparent when the more than 3,500 delegates — including nearly 80 from UUP — adopted constitutional amendments and resolutions giving the AFT the resources and support it needs to confront the challenges head-on.

Fighting the right wing

Delegates voted to target more resources in the fight to counter the anti-union/anti-worker ballot initiatives sweeping the states. Under the leadership of AFT Vice President Herb Magidson (who once served as NYSUT’s executive vice president), the federation conducted an analysis of the threats confronting labor.

“There is a well-funded, extreme group of ultraconservatives led by millionaire ideologues who seek to do away with unions and — failing that — to bleed us dry,” Magidson said. The vehicles of choice for those who would wipe out unions are ballot initiatives and referendums, such as privatization schemes.

Delegates responded by adopting two constitutional amendments. One raises per-capita dues by $1.40 per member, per month, generating an additional $18.7 million for AFT operating expenses over a 24-month period. The other sets aside a portion of that increase for the Solidarity Fund, a new political resource. The fund will return almost a quarter of the money to state federations to use for local efforts.

Delegates OK higher ed resolutions

Delegates adopted three resolutions that address issues crucial to higher education.

• The first sets forth standards governing the employment and compensation for the nation’s 425,000 part-time and adjunct faculty. “Standards of Good Practice in the Employment of Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty” deals with pay equity, hiring and employment practices, and the roles of part-time/adjunct faculty within the union.

  The AFT Higher Education Program and Policy Council, chaired by UUP President William Scheuerman, crafted a blueprint for raising standards and ensuring financial and professional equity for part-time/adjunct faculty. The report — outlining a coordinated program to improve the status of part-timers — is available from the AFT. Go to http://www.aft.org/higher_ed for more details.

  Recognizing the need to increase resources to fight for part-time issues, delegates adopted a constitutional amendment that will allow locals to apply for a cut in per-capita payments to $1 a month for each part-timer earning $10,000 or less a year. Locals will have to reapply for the dues cut every two years.

  In addressing the delegation, Scheuerman noted that, without this amendment, unions such as UUP would continue to pay greater per-capita dues to the national federation than the union actually raised from its part-time members in the form of dues.

• The second resolution affirms the union’s support for the concept of shared governance, which guarantees all college and university employees a voice in academic decision-making. The resolution addresses recent encroachments by college and university trustees and managers into standard academic practice.
• A third resolution promotes special treatment in the federal Higher Education Act for public institutions serving a large population of recently immigrated students.

— Karen L. Mattison with AFT staff reports