January 26, 2016 In Higher Education

College professors unionizing? I understand why.

The colleges and universities have brought this on themselves, I think.

Fully half of all college faculty are adjuncts, hired for only one semester at a time, never for more than two courses at a time, and paid somewhere between $2000 and $4000 per course, depending on the school.

Poor pay, no benefits, no job security, yet entrusted with the education of a significant portion of the student body.

Something had to give. Read my take here on the National Review education blog Phi Beta Cons.

2 Comments

  • Steve Connelly

    January 26, 2016 at 2:49 pm

    I concur with almost everything you wrote. My question is about your comment ” I am no fan of unions “. As a past executive,like you, unions were tough to deal with because it impinged on our control. In our time we did all we could to prevent unionization by giving non Union employees excellent pay and benefits without costing them union dues. The longer term benefit is that now unions have lost their leverage and the next generation of management doesn’t have to deal with unions at least not to the extent we did. The problem is if well educated University leadership takes economic advantage of its workers what can you expect of those which have a more pure profit motive. That is why I am a fan of unions and think this new age of management will still be able to coexist without total control over its workforce.

  • Vic Brown

    January 26, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    Good point, Steve. I’m actually neither a fan nor an opponent of unions. My one request is that union membership be voluntary, in keeping with right to work legislation. In the case of public employee unions, I sympathize with the Friedrichs case pending now at SACOTUS, as it bears on freedom of speech. Other than those two disclaimers, I understand how unions are often the only way for highly fractured employee groups (like adjuncts) to gain any leverage.