On the Road
with Rachel Hendrickson

There are campus organizations I seem to visit at crucial times in their histories. I was there, for example, in 1996, when the faculty at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale filed cards and later voted for union representation.

Three years ago, when SIUC faculty were at a sticking point in contract negotiations, I was there again. This time, the leaders took a hard look at their members and decided they weren’t ready to go to the mat. As one campus visitor remarked, “They can’t even say the ‘s’ word.”

The Association leaders settled on what was, all in all, a good contract and used the next three years to educate their members and develop the internal strength and cohesiveness that brings success in collective action.

Last November, the faculty, led by Faculty Association President Morteza Daneshdoost, not only said the ‘s’ word, they voted for it. Their motto: “I don't want to, but I will.”

When I arrived on the campus this February, the faculty had taken a principled stand on quality and governance issues and were prepared to—but hoped not to—go out on strike.

The deadline approached and the administration changed its stance from “No” to “We don't want to, but I guess we must,” and placed an offer on the table that went a long way toward giving the faculty the quality principles they were bargaining for and allowed the faculty to win a new contract without a strike.

There’s always a letdown after a settlement, but believe me, nothing was left on the table at the end of these negotiations. On the other hand, hang on to those strike signs; the struggle to negotiate quality comes up again in three years.

—Rachel Hendrickson coordinates NEA higher ed activities.