Subject: Message from the Acting Provost on unionization efforts
Dear faculty:

Recently, several Marquette faculty members have noti?ed university leadership about union solicitations
they have received from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1. We understand that SEIU
representatives have approached non-tenure-track faculty members as they exit their classrooms, seeking
signatures for authorization cards. Please know that Marquette has not divulged the names, contact
information or class schedules of our non-tenure-track faculty, and that no faculty member is under any

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obliga'on to speak with a union organizer or respond to their outreach if they do not wish to do so.
Non-tenure-track faculty who sign the SEIU authoriza'on cards are not just showing support for the union. In
fact, they are giving the union the right to represent them in nego'a'ons with the university. The goal of the
SEIU – which typically represents health care, cleaning and security employees, not academics – is to secure
signatures from 30 percent of our non-tenure-track faculty members so that the Na'onal Labor Rela'ons
Board is required to conduct an elec'on. It is important to note that if the SEIU secures signatures from more
than 50 percent of our non-tenure-track faculty, then all non-tenure-track faculty at Marque4e will be
unionized without an elec'on. We encourage all non-tenure-track faculty to read the SEIU authoriza'on
cards carefully and know what you are agreeing to.
As a leading Jesuit, Catholic university, Marque4e affirms the Catholic belief, echoed by Pope Francis, that the
dignity of each person includes the right to fulfilling and life-sustaining work. Our strong preference is to
maintain a direct working relaIonship with our faculty—without a third party intermediary that may not
understand our university, our mission, or our guiding values. This direct working rela'onship — one built
on a long history of mutual respect and direct dialogue — is one of the many reasons Marque4e is such a
unique and rewarding place to work.
Marque4e greatly values our non-tenure-track faculty and their many contribu'ons to our university
community. During the past decade, Marque4e has:
Increased both full- and part-'me non-tenure-track faculty pay in the Klingler College of Arts and
Sciences – which has the largest number of non-tenure-track faculty
Added a tui'on remission benefit for part-'me faculty with a full academic year contract
Ensured all employees – faculty and staff, full and part-'me – have the same eligibility requirements
for the re'rement plan match annuity, Employee Assistance Program and fee discount for the Rec
Center/Rec Plex
In accordance with the Affordable Care Act, provided medical, dental and vision insurance with
employer contribu'ons to all full-'me non-tenure-track faculty, and offered access to Marque4e’s
medical, dental and vision insurance for part-'me faculty
Our current opera'ng model of u'lizing a mix of tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty helps control
costs, maintain flexibility and offer our students unique perspec'ves, while at the same 'me ensuring we are
providing the highest-quality transforma'onal educa'on at a price that is compe''ve with our peer
universi'es.
Having a union would mean that wages, hours and working condi'ons for non-tenure-track faculty would be
determined through collec've bargaining between the SEIU and the university administra'on, rather than
handled through our shared governance system. If the union succeeds, our faculty will be legally divided into
two separate groups.
Marque4e respects the lawful right of employees to decide whether they wish to be represented by a
union. Ul'mately, the decision about whether or not to support the SEIU in their unioniza'on effort is up to
our non-tenure-track faculty. At the same 'me, the issue of union representa'on is of cri'cal importance to
every single faculty member, as well as to the university as a whole. We urge you to be informed and
engaged. Please take a look at the fact sheet below and reach out to me or Dr. Gary Meyer, senior vice
provost for faculty affairs, with ques'ons.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kimo Ah Yun
Ac'ng Provost and Execu've Vice President of Academic Affairs
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 Marque4e University

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Know the Facts – Union RepresentaIon
SEIU seeks to gain enough signatures to hold a vote on whether the union will be the sole representa've of
non-tenure-track faculty for purposes of nego'a'ng their pay, benefits and other working condi'ons through
collec've bargaining. What does this really mean for non-tenure-track faculty?
If 30 percent of the non-tenure-track faculty idenIfied as being in the bargaining unit sign the
authorizaIon cards, the NaIonal Labor RelaIons Board will hold an elecIon. If more than 50
percent of the non-tenure-track faculty sign the cards, there will be no elecIon, and the union will
be cerIfied to represent all non-tenure-track faculty in the bargaining unit. This means that if nontenure-track faculty members signed the cards because they believe people should be allowed to vote,
they (and all other non-tenure-track faculty in the bargaining unit) could become part of the union
even without an elec'on being held.
If the SEIU gains the right to hold an elecIon and prevails, non-tenure-track faculty members who
are eligible to vote cannot opt out of union representaIon. Non-tenure-track faculty would be
subject to whatever terms may be agreed upon for the en're bargaining unit of non-tenure-track
faculty members, regardless of whether or not they voted in an elec'on to organize a union, or how
they voted. Individuals cannot choose whether to be a part of the bargaining unit represented by the
union.
Because Wisconsin is a Right-to-Work state, no one can be required to join the union or pay dues to
the union, but the wages, hours, and condiIons of employment for all members of the bargaining
unit are controlled by the union contract. No member of the non-tenure-track faculty bargaining unit
would be able to nego'ate individual terms of employment.
There is no way to know whether the wages, hours and condiIons of employment for the nontenure-track faculty bargaining unit would change or remain the same, because everything would be
subject to the negoIaIon process. If non-tenure-track faculty members elect to have the SEIU
represent them, SEIU is free to trade away exis'ng benefits enjoyed by the faculty in exchange for
terms important only to the SEIU. For example, unions osen want a Dues Check-Off Clause, which
requires an employer to deduct authorized dues from an employee’s paycheck and remit them directly
to the union. In fact, the Na'onal Labor Rela'ons Board (NLRB) has specifically stated, “In the giveand-take of bargaining a union is free to give up items important to employees in exchange for dues
check-off clauses.” (La-Z-Boy, 281 NLRB 338 (1986))
If SEIU is elected to represent non-tenure-track faculty, shared governance will be replaced by
collecIve bargaining. The SEIU would become the sole representaIve for everyone in the designated
bargaining unit. There are currently many avenues available today for non-tenure-track faculty to
enhance their experience at Marque4e by communica'ng with and working directly alongside senior
leadership. If the SEIU is represen'ng non-tenure-track faculty, however, Marque4e would not be able
to vary from the terms of the union contract to address a non-tenure-track faculty member’s par'cular
circumstances or preferences.

Office of the Provost
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 Marque2e University
Zilber Hall, Suite 448
PO Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
Phone: 414-288-7511
Fax: 414-288-6400
Email: provost@marque2e.edu

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