“Andy, Andy, you can’t hide,” NYU contract faculty tell the president.

A week after meeting at the Bobst Library to call for union recognition, NYU contract faculty gathered to demand that the university begin a formal union recognition process.

Students, professors, and local politicians demonstrated in front of NYU’s Bobst Library in support of the contract faculty union, calling for the university to recognize a union that represents NYU’s non-staff faculty members. The rally followed another gathering near Bobst last week when the union gave the university seven days to respond to a letter with their requirements.

At New York University, the term “contract faculty” refers to full-time non-tenured professors whose contracts are renewed every few years. Unlike adjunct professors, who make up the majority of the faculty, usually work part-time and must renew their contracts every semester, contract teachers do not yet have a recognized trade union or collective bargaining agreement with the university.

The group of attendees, which included New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, chanted classic organizing phrases such as “If we don’t get it, shut it down” and more personalized refrains, including “Andy, Andy, you can’t hide “. we can see your greedy side. Elizabeth Fay, a CAS professor and union organizer, said the group looked forward to a fair and neutral recognition process from the university.

“You can obviously fix it this afternoon,” Lander said at the rally. “It’s not that difficult. It doesn’t cost any money. This is not the start of negotiations for a raise. It’s not a job-saving commitment, just come in here and say, “Of course, we’re so grateful to you for teaching our students, for being the teacher we have such a great reputation for.”

The group’s requirements include the right to negotiate terms of employment, management advice dismissals of teachers under contract and annual increases corresponding to the level of inflation. An email from Hamilton’s office the day before the rally informed contract faculty that the university would take more time to respond to the email.

University spokesman John Beckman said the university would respond to the union within seven to 10 days.

“We recognize their desire to form a collective bargaining group and respect their right to peaceful rallies in support of their goals.” Beckman said. “We will contact them soon and give a meaningful response to their letter.”

Jacob Remes – a clinical adjunct professor at the Gallatin School of Individual Education and a member of the union’s organizing committee — said the university responded to the email just 23 hours before the union’s deadline.

“I love my job. I love my colleagues. I love my students. And so far, the goodwill and unfulfilled promises of my superiors have been kept,” Remes said. “Of course, our teaching, our advice, our mentoring, our classroom work , our assessment papers, our work with students – this is the basis of our work. The university will not work if we do not work.

Other working groups on campus have been successfully organized in the past. In November, NYU’s subsidiary faculty union, ACT-UAW Local 7902, was able to successfully conclude a preliminary contract with the universityavoiding a strike that had been sanctioned by union members more than a week before.

The contract includes higher wages, compensation for time spent outside the classroom, health insurance subsidies and other improvements.

GSOC-UAW Local 2110, the university’s graduate student union, was also able to sign a contract with NYU after a three week strike. The union became the first union of private university graduates in the country to successfully conclude collective bargaining.

Fei said the union will continue to rally until the university initiates the recognition process. She added that she hopes NYU uses the extra time to respond.

“Advice to President Hamilton as he continues to work on this important midterm project in his final semester at NYU: Put this extra time to good use,” Faye said. “Make sure your answer is something the entire NYU community can be proud of.”

Contact Bruna Horvath by phone [email protected]