Some AU adjunct professors filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board Dec. 2 to become a union.
A secret ballot election will be held soon for adjunct professors to vote for an American University Adjuncts Union.
Erik Cooke, an adjunct professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, said adjunct professors began organizing in the past few weeks to make this possible.
“It just kind of snowballed,” Cooke said. “It happened very quickly; there was nothing magical.”
Cooke said adjunct professors have become more informed and aware of their numbers through meetings outside the University.
“Now’s the chance to convince the rest of our peers about our need for this and talk about the state of adjuncts in the AU community,” he said.
Cooke said he is hopeful the adjuncts will create a union.
“I hope that we win,” he said. “Hopefully a year from now, we’ll be better organized and represented in a union.”
AU administration could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
