United Academics of Ohio University voted to unionize in a 453-189 decision Monday afternoon, with 71% for a union.
Votes were counted by the Ohio State Employee Relations Board, and all ballots postmarked by March 11 were counted.
Monday’s election was the first of two in an effort to form two separate bargaining units, according to a previous report from The Post. Today’s election unionized full-time tenure, tenure track and instructional faculty.
The second bargaining unit will represent the College of Health Science and Professions, most of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and clinical faculty.
Faculty began talks of unionizing in 2020 after 55 faculty members were fired during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a previous report from The Post.
According to UAOU, the mission of the union is to ensure a safe and just environment for teaching and learning, negotiate working conditions and compensation structure, protect and promote academic freedom.
The union also plans to partner with Faculty Senate in recognition of the potential of a shared governance, due process and transparency at the administration level, and to uphold the university’s resources in regards to teaching and research.
Shortly after votes were counted, UAOU took to Instagram to share a celebratory statement.
“There’s no doubt that we won and we, faculty at Ohio University, want a union,” the statement read. “We look forward to working with the university.”
