The first, best way to get involved in your union is to become a member. Union members have a voice in all union matters. They get to vote on important items like contract ratification, strike authorizations, changes to our constitution, our bargaining goals, and officer and steward elections. Our rank and file membership is what drives us towards success–this union is what our members make it! For more information on how to join, click here.
Events
We have several social events throughout the year, including our Reading Day Work-Ins at the Illini Union, our Welcome Back Party, our participation in the Labor Day Parade, solidarity events, and more! We also sometimes hold informal Happy Hour socials at Quality Bar in downtown Champaign.
Committees
If you are already a member you may join one of our standing committees or volunteer on occasion.
- For the Finance Committee, contact Daniel Roche
- For the Grievance Committee, contact Kate Newton
- For the Communications Committee, contact Theresa Dobbs
We are hoping to start a Solidarity Committee soon. This group would be tasked with building our relationships with other labor unions and community groups, writing statements of solidarity with the same on behalf of our union, and organizing ways for members to volunteer with the same.
Leadership
Another great way to get involved as a member is to become a steward or an officer of our union. The Stewards and officers form the Stewards Council and the Executive Council, the two leadership bodies of our union. All stewards and officer positions are elected at our annual internal elections in March/April. For information about our elections, see Article VI of our Constitution.
Stewards are representatives of our union elected to serve certain constituencies around campus. Usually, Stewards are given turfs that closely match the departments or colleges they are affiliated with. A union member in the Chemistry Department who is a steward, for instance, would be the first point of contact for bargaining unit members in the various Chemistry buildings and departments on campus. Stewards are also the on-the-ground contacts responsible for union organizing in their constituencies. They are always looking for ways to grow our union by getting people to become members. In addition, our Stewards drive our union’s organizing strategies and make changes to our constitution. Last, and most important, our Stewards strive to build a sense of community among NTT’s on campus, working to bring together faculty from all departments and so we can all support each other better. If you are interested in becoming a Steward, please contact our Chief Steward.
Our officers on the Executive Council hold various, key positions for our union. Our President handles day-to-day operations and represents our union in legal matters. Our Vice President is responsible for solidarity and outreach. Our Chief Steward manages the needs of our stewards and their constituencies, while also overseeing the Stewards’ Council. The Treasurer handles all the finances of the union, including paying our bills, our affiliate dues, and reimbursing people for union-related expenditures. The Communications Committee Chair manages our social media, our information campaigns, helps maintain our website, and sends out our monthly update emails to our members. Our Bargaining Research Chair works to understand the needs of our members in relation to our contract, and they also make sure our members are aware of all their rights as faculty at the university. Last, our Grievance Committee Chair handles incoming grievances, or contract violations, with members of the bargaining unit. Union elections are coming up in the spring! If you’re interested in running for a spot on our Executive Council and want to learn more, you can view more info about each position here or contact our current president, Theresa Dobbs.