GW Ordered To Negotiate With Workers

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Adjunct faculty at The George Washington University (GW) won a significant victory last week with the decision by a federal appeals court affirming the results of an election that united the part-time faculty with SEIU Local 500. "The appeals court ruling defends the legal rights of the part-time faculty and affirms the rule of law. We hope that GW will focus on education, not litigation and come to the bargaining table in good faith," said Merle Cuttitta, president of SEIU Local 500. A U.S. Court of Appeals panel denied the university administration's appeal of a National Labor Relations Board decision that GW violated the law when it refused to recognize the results of the October 2004 election. The appeals court upheld the NLRB's ruling that the university "engaged in an unfair labor practice" and that its arguments were "without merit." The appeals court ordered the university administration to obey the unanimous NLRB ruling that it must cease and desist from violating the law, bargain with the union, and publicly commit in writing to stop breaking the law. SEIU Local 500 represents almost 10,000 area workers in education, public services and community services. For more details, click here.