PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Faculty and staff union members at University of the Arts rallied Monday night on Broad Street, demanding their first contracts with the institution.
Groups from across the city joined demonstrators represented by United Academics of Philadelphia – AFT Local 9608 to march in front of the University’s Hamilton Hall.
As the university and the unions negotiate, union representatives say staff have been working without a contract for nearly a year, and the faculty group has been working without one for two years.
“It's been really frustrating,” said Sam Heaps, an adjunct associate professor who’s part of the bargaining team.
Heaps said faculty and staff are looking for job security, higher wages and benefits.
“We have a large percentage of adjuncts at this school, and lack of job security makes it very difficult for people to do their jobs, teach their classes, offer the students what they deserve,” Heaps said.
“We care about our students … we want a strong school for everybody. That's why we've been fighting for this contract.”
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Jana Korn, who was there to support the unions’ effort, noted UArts is just the latest school to see its faculty and staff on the picket line, following Temple in Philadelphia and Rutgers across the river in Camden.
“Workers in higher ed across the city are organized, they are rising up and demanding more for their universities,” Korn said.
Heaps says another bargaining session is happening Tuesday.
KYW Newsradio reached out to a spokesperson for University of the Arts, but they declined to comment.
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