Pitt Faculty Ratifies First Union Contract

Faculty representatives at the University of Pittsburgh have ratified the first union contract that sets a salary and wage minimum for workers at the university.

The tentative agreement is over two years in the making since the university’s faculty voted to unionize as the USW–Union of Pitt Faculty.

Tyler Bickford“We are very pleased to report that our tentative agreement was ratified, with 98.3% of votes favoring ratification (and 88.4% of eligible voters casting ballots). That means that our contract will go into effect on May 15, 2024,” read a letter from the USW–Union of Pitt Faculty Bargaining Committee Chair Tyler Bickford, who a professor of English, and other members of the committee.

The union’s bargaining committee and council of representatives approved a tentative agreement that includes improved salaries for the lowest-paid faculty. That is new salary minimums of $60,000 for most full-time faculty (up from a $25,000 low) and $7,500/3-credit class at Pittsburgh, or $5,625/3-credit class in regionals, for part-time faculty.

Additionally, all full-time and part-time faculty will be automatically renewed after a short probationary period unless a narrow list of circumstances apply — primarily lack of work.

The contract includes maintenance increases as follow:

· July 1, 2023 (retroactive): $3,900 full-time; 4% part-time;

·July 1, 2024: $3,140 full-time; 2.75% part-time;

·  July 1, 2025: 2.5% all faculty.

Priorities also encompass a ratification bonus, promotion minimums, overload minimums, merit/market/equity adjustments, longer appointments, adjustments to benefits and leaves, and procedural protections among others.