Dear Colleagues,

You have likely heard the news from USD’s Chief Legal Officer Tom Skinner that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election regarding NTT unionization has been voided and rescheduled due to an error on the part of the NLRB and the U.S. Postal Service.

From the beginning of this process, USD has stood for a free and fair election to determine if representation by the Service Employees International Union is in the best interests of our non-tenure track faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences. A free and fair election is one where all involved are informed and have the greatest possible opportunity to participate and ensure their voices are heard.

In the previous election agreement, which USD supported, the election was to conclude before the end of the academic year. With this recent development, the timetable proposed by the NLRB extends beyond the end of the semester and final exams and into the first few weeks of the summer. We are aware that many members of the NTT faculty may be unavailable during this window and unable to participate. USD urged the NLRB to hold the election at the beginning of the fall semester when everyone is back on campus.

Unfortunately, the Service Employees International Union was adamant that the election happens now, despite the fact that hosting the election in the fall would help ensure the greatest possible participation.

The decision to hold the election now has been set by the NLRB. As I have done from the beginning, I encourage you to make sure your voice is heard and vote.

I fear that the union’s insistence on pushing for an election when many faculty members aren’t available to vote prioritizes their own interests over that of our faculty. If this is an early indication of what unionization under SEIU could look like at USD, I have serious reservations about the union’s alignment with the best interest of our employees and the values of our university.

I urge you to watch for your ballot in the mail after May 20 and be sure you submit your vote by June 18. This is a significant decision, and you have the right to be heard.

Peace,
Jim

James T. Harris III, DEd
President