CADEN HAYNOR / NEWS EDITOR

Following a year-long negotiation process, non-tenure track (NTT) faculty members approved their first union contract. This ratification occurred on Friday, Sept. 26 with 99% of participating faculty voting “yes.” The contract will continue until its expiration in March 2028.

According to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 721, this union contract includes a 3% increase for  terminal  degree  holders under the new scale, job assignments based on seniority and an appeal process for union members who are not renewed or have their contracts modified. These examples are among multiple changes to NTT work contracts.

In a statement to KPBS, union bargaining team spokesperson Soroya Rowley explained some of the outcomes of this contract ratification.

“Now, we have more transparency and a system of seniority,” Rowley stated. “Folks will either be hired for new assignments or, if we need to make cuts, let go from classes based on their seniority.”

The NTT union went on strike last year, where nearly 200 students, faculty and community members picketed. This was mainly in response to wage cuts and course reductions for NTT faculty.

Now, the ratified contract includes a new base wage scale with  pay  increases  for  CAS  faculty by title and a 10% “cancellation fee” if USD decides to decrease a union member’s final workload after July 1 for the fall semester or Dec. 1 for the spring semester.

In a statement to KPBS, the University of San Diego spoke about their interactions with the NTT union.

“We value the tremendous contribution that our (non-tenure-track) faculty members make to our university,” USD stated. “For nearly a year we have made extraordinary efforts to bargain in good faith with the representatives of the (non-tenure-track College of Arts and Sciences) faculty union. And we have an obligation to ensure that our university remains financially sustainable in order to fulfill our mission.”

Now that the contract has been officially ratified, students will continue to attend classes taught by NTT faculty and union members will work with these new parameters. USD community members will continue to consider the consequences of this contract.

The union contract includes pay increases and job security for NTT faculty. Photo courtesy of @usd_nttfaculty/Instagram