Ryan Eckes, an Adjunct Professor of English at Temple University forwards a recent MoveOn petition to treat adjunct faculty with dignity and respect by allowing them to form a collective bargaining unit with the union they have chosen, Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP).
Ryan Eckes’ Letter
Dear LAWCHCA,
I’ve been teaching at Temple for ten years, but adjuncts like me have no voice in departmental decisions and no say in the university’s direction. We are paid only a fraction of what our full-time colleagues are paid per course, yet we make up half of the entire faculty. We also work without access to affordable healthcare. On top of that, the university provides no rewards for teaching well and no pathways to full-time work for those who seek it. As a Temple alum who believes deeply in the value of higher education, I want to see all of our faculty have the opportunity to thrive. A union for adjuncts professors will make Temple stronger.
If you agree, can you tell Provost Dai that adjunct professors deserve better?
Adjunct professors at Temple University want a union, but Provost Dai is stalling our campaign to win collective bargaining through litigation. In December, a majority of Temple adjuncts signed union cards with the American Federation of Teachers calling for an election, but instead of honoring our right to vote, Temple administration is dragging faculty through the courts.
Faculty across Philadelphia – and the nation – are speaking out for their right to form a union. Over 70% of faculty in higher education are now adjunct, and we often work without job security, fair pay, or access to benefits. At Temple, adjuncts are hired semester-to-semester and our courses can be cancelled last-minute, without pay.
The campaign at Temple is part of a larger effort across the country driven by adjuncts to win dignity and respect in the workplace. To stay updated with what’s going on in Philadelphia, check out United Academics of Philadelphia online and on Twitter.
In solidarity,
Ryan Eckes
Temple Adjunct Professor
English Department
