"Public education, from pre-K through higher education, and labor unions, particularly those representing public sector workers, are today under attack from those who question the very need to have such basic institutions. United University Professions: Pioneering Higher Education Unionism is a history of United University Professions (UUP), which grew from humble beginnings to become the nation's largest higher education union representing some 35,000 academic and professional staff within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Authors Nuala McGann Drescher, William E. Scheuerman, William Ivan D. Steen chronicle how UUP built upon its early accomplishments at the bargaining table and in the political arena to become a national leader in the struggle to preserve academic freedom and the institution of tenure, the bedrock of academic freedom. More broadly, they argue, UUP in microcosm confirms the importance of unionization not only for the members it represents, but to core American values and American democracy itself"--.

• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: The State University of New York Prior to Unionization
  • State Policy Promotes the Privates
  • The Battle for a State University
  • Gould Takes on Salaries and Other Terms and Conditions of Employment
  • Impact of SUNY’s Grievance Process and Other Managerial Policies
• Chapter 2: The Right to Bargain Collectively, 1967–73
  • Public Workers Organize
  • Collective Bargaining and Higher Education
  • Professional Organizations Prepare
  • Nonclassroom Professionals Organize
  • Unit Determination Struggle
  • Competition to Represent
  • The University Senate Emerges
  • Other Contenders
  • Unit Determination Hearings
  • Certification Election
  • Professionals Prepare
  • The Senate Adjusts
  • The Senate Professional Association Created
  • Professionals Accommodated
  • SPA and the National Education Association
  • Certification Election at Last
  • Victory for SPA
  • First Round of Negotiations
  • Internal Conflict Breaks Out
  • Opposition Solidifies
  • Clinical Practice Plan Background
  • Clinical Practice Plan Framework
  • Impact of Merger on Clinical Practice Plans
  • NEA and AFT in New York Talk Merger
  • SPA and SUFT Merge
  • Evaluation of SPA’s Work
• Chapter 3: The Emergence of United University Professions, 1973–81
  • Unit Representation Problems
  • Negotiating Contracts
  • Internal Dissention
  • A Change in Leadership
  • Retrenchment
  • Membership Building
  • Challenges to Representation
  • Negotiating Contracts
  • Advocating for SUNY Funding
  • Internal Politics
  • UUP’s First Eight Years
• Chapter 4: Organizational Structure, Internal Disagreement, Innovation, and Growth, 1981–87
  • New Stability, New Directions
  • Internal Political Stability Evolves
  • Financial Crisis: Internal and External
  • Struggle for a New Agreement
  • Negotiations Break Down
  • Settlement
  • Budget Fight Once Again
  • Program of Defense
  • Coalitions to Fight
  • Resolution of the Crisis This Time
  • Struggle for SUNY Flexibility
  • Activities to Promote the General Welfare
  • Innovative Student Recruitment Activities
  • Part-Time Colleagues Come to the Forefront
  • Joint Committee and Medical Malpractice
  • Efforts for Professionals
  • New Negotiations
  • Agreement and Ratification Problems
  • Contract Opportunities Exploited
  • Internal Growth and Development
• Chapter 5: Expanding the Role of UUP, 1987–93
  • Negotiating Contracts
  • Parking Fees
  • Retrenchment
  • Political and Legislative Activities
  • Looking Beyond Contracts and SUNY Funding
  • Budgetary Problems
  • Internal Politics
  • Assessing the Reilly Years
• Chapter 6: UUP Matures: Part I, 1993–2001
  • The New Administration Does Some Initial Housekeeping
  • The Pataki Attack on SUNY and UUP
  • UUP’s Coming of Age
  • UUP takes on SUNY’s Trustees
• Chapter 7: UUP Matures: Part II, 2001–2007
  • As UUP Matures: More Victories
  • Free Speech and Intellectual Leadership: UUP Assumes a National and International Role
  • Scheuerman Leaves for the AFL-CIO: Future Prospects for UUP
• Chapter 8: New Challenges and Future Prospects
• Note on Sources
• Notes
• Index