The recent decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that Northwestern University football players on scholarship are "employees" entitled to unionize under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) should serve as a wake-up call for higher education administrators. Part of a trend in which both the NLRB…

A union perspective of major issues in higher education labor law in the 1990s includes the 11th Circuit Court cases on whether Congress abrogated states' 11th Amendment immunity for suits under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Analyzes contract issues of protection around age…

The Supreme Court in "Ellis vs. Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks" has provided a systematic process for determining what constitutes union expenses properly charged to objecting nonmembers. (MLF)

In "Ellis vs. Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks," the Supreme Court clarified the line between permissible and nonpermissible expenses and what procedures must be available to prevent compulsory subsidization of ideological activity by objecting employees. This article also describes the Court's decisions subsequent to…

In January 1982, the University of Massachusetts faculty union demanded the termination of nondues-paying faculty members. Dissenters argue that dues (for equivalent sum) conflicts with tenure rights/academic freedom; union leaders see it as a threat to union security. Issues and tensions related to bargaining at the university are discussed. (JN)

This newsletter theme issue focuses on unionization of graduate student assistants at institutions of higher education. The first article, "Graduate Assistants and Unionization" by Frank R. Annunziato, points out that more than 21,000 graduate student assistants at public sector colleges/universities are represented by unions in eight…