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[These questions are specifically targeted to higher education locals in Oregon - your mileage outside of those locals may vary. Special thanks to AFT locals University Council in California and OFNHP in Oregon for answering many of these questions - please submit any remaining questions you have at the bottom of this page.]
What does it mean to go on strike?
A strike is a show of solidarity workers withhold labor from their employer to make our contributions and our power visible. For lecturers, that means no classes, no grading, no meetings, no asynchronous instruction, and no other teaching-related work for the duration of the strike. Instead, we join the picket line. On the picket line, we’ll use the time to support each other and send the message to the administration that our labor is critical for the functioning of our university and for our students’ success. When bargaining fails to result in a contract we can be proud of, a strike is our last option where union workers, together, refuse to go to work, shifting the balance of power and showing the employer how essential we are.
How do we know when we can strike?
Your contract may specify that you cannot strike while it's in effect, so assuming it expired before the last stage, the collective bargaining process goes like this:
How is a strike determined?
Only a vote of the membership would determine whether or not we go on strike. The overwhelming majority of members would have to want a strike for it to go forward.
Could I be fired for going on strike?
No! We are being very careful to ensure that we are striking legally so that our jobs are protected. Federal and state labor laws also protect workers from any retaliation they face for exercising their rights. But we also know that in academia, retaliation can come in more subtle forms. We must stand together to protect one another, because an injury to one is an injury to all.
Will I be getting paid during a strike?
No. But with careful planning and overwhelming participation from members, we can dramatically lessen or even eliminate the felt financial impact. Remember - we are withholding our work to put pressure on the employer to treat us respectfully by settling a fair contract, which typically means we are securing better wages, benefits, and/or working conditions. There are also support programs available, typically on the basis of need, to get members through this hardship - that's what state and national federations of unions are for! When we stand together, we win together.
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