FAQs

I’m new to NIU, how do I find out more about the union?

One of the best ways to find out about the UFA is to contact your department representative. If your department doesn’t have a representative, feel free to reach out to any of our executive board members.

The UFA convenes general membership meetings throughout the year, and all faculty may attend. In addition, union leaders host introductory meetings for new faculty. All new faculty will receive an invite to these meetings.

If you’d like to see one of the best faculty contracts in Illinois, you can view the UFA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The UFA also has been featured in media coverage:

Where can I find a copy of our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)?

You can find a copy here: Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Who is on the UFA Executive Board, and how do I contact them?

You can find the list of the executive board on the Leadership page.

Am I in the union? What does it mean to sign a union card?

All members of the tenured/tenure track faculty are automatically represented by NIU-UFA, unless they fall into specific categories as delineated in the CBA. Signing a union card allows 1) for participation in union activities and the right to vote in elections and 2) the collection of dues.

I know that one of our big wins was a new Family Leave Policy. What did we win?

You can find the complete language on the Family Leave Policy in the CBA, but here are the main points:

  • Family Leave: Up to five weeks (25 working days), each fiscal year of non-accumulated paid medical leave at 100% salary for an immediate family member’s serious medical condition.

  • Parental Leave: Up to five weeks (25 working days), upon approval by HRS, of continuous parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child, or assuming the responsibility for a foster child at 100% salary.

  • Modified Duties For New Parents: Modified duties without a reduction in salary during the period following the birth or adoption of a child, upon request by the bargaining unit member who is the primary or coequal caregiver for the child.

Where can I find the MOUs added to the contract during the pandemic?

They are appended at the end of the CBA.

What are the modifications for tenure and promotion for junior faculty during the pandemic?

Based on what the UFA negotiated with the employer regarding the pandemic, certain untenured faculty are automatically given a one-year tenure extension as outlined in the Spring 2021 MOU. Although the extension is not mandatory, eligible faculty members must choose to opt out if they would like to continue on their original tenure schedule. Eligible faculty should have received a letter about the extension.

Faculty members who accept the the one-year extension will receive a one-time, lump sum payment of $4,500. This payment was negotiated to make up for loss in wages due to the delay in receiving the wage increase for tenure and promotion.

It is important to note that if a faculty member opts out of the tenure extension, before their third/fourth year review, they cannot opt back in later. If they wait and take their third/fourth year review in year 4 (i.e., on the new calendar), they can still choose to go up for tenure on the old calendar (original timeline) or the new calendar (extra year).

What is a grievance, and who is our grievance officer?

A grievance is a complaint, claim, or dispute arising under the current contract. Grievances are limited to matters of interpretation or application of provisions of the contract. For questions regarding a grievance, contact the grievance officer.

What are my dues and how can I calculate them?

Dues help the union function, and a portion goes to our chapter, the local (UPI 4100), the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers. Dues are collected from your paycheck automatically and capped at a maximum of 1.5% of your annual base salary (although, almost all of our faculty pay less than that). Dues are taken out of 16 paychecks each year between September 31st and May 31st.

Dues are calculated by taking your base annual salary and multiplying it by a percentage set by the Illinois Federation of Teachers (0.6 in 2022-2023, plus an annual fee). Then, the total dues are split evenly between the 16 paychecks specified above. This may make it appear that the dues are more than 1.5% of your individual paycheck, but it only appears this way because 1) dues are based on the annual salary, not the twice monthly paycheck amount, and 2) dues are only taken out of 16 paychecks each year. If you have elected to have your salary spread out over 12 months instead of 9, then dues are only deducted from paychecks during the 9-month academic year. The result is that dues may seem to be above the 1.5% threshold, but they are not.

What does it mean that UFA is my exclusive representative?

It means that the union, United Faculty Associates of NIU, is the only entity that can negotiate on behalf of the members of the unit on issues covered in the collective bargaining agreement, such as compensation, work conditions, etc.

Does the Union control who gets tenure?

No. The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) clearly states that the power for promotion and tenure lies within the academic unit.