University abruptly revokes union recognition of faculty staff following prolonged conversation periods
Loyola Marymount University Withdraws Recognition of Faculty Union, Sparking Protests
Loyola Marymount University (LMU) has made a controversial decision to withdraw recognition of its faculty union, a move that has sparked protests and allegations of union-busting. The university's board of trustees invoked its "constitutionally protected religious exemption" from the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), citing the need to support the university's financial health and protect its Catholic mission.
The decision affects nearly 400 part-time and full-time educators who do not hold tenure-track positions. LMU faculty member Wisch, who works full-time but finds his annual pay of $68,000 insufficient to live in Los Angeles, has taken on a second job to make ends meet. Faculty members voted overwhelmingly to join SEIU last summer, citing issues of low pay and precarious job status.
The university's bargaining committee for non-tenure-track faculty is made up of 15 employees elected from the three colleges. LMU has already implemented salary and merit wage increases for non-tenure-track faculty, amounting to an average 7.8% pay raise, retroactive to August. However, this has not been enough to appease the unionized employees, who plan to file an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB.
The university's decision to invoke its religious exemption is not unprecedented. In 2024, the NLRB sided with St. Leo University in Florida, saying it could not exercise oversight at the religious institution when the university moved to nix its 44-year-old faculty union. Similarly, recent rulings have further curtailed the NLRB's reach, such as a U.S. Court of Appeals in 2020 blocking the board from requiring that Duquesne University, a Catholic institution in Pittsburgh, recognize an adjunct faculty union.
The National Labor Relations Act is currently under threat, according to a contributor. In 2024, the university's board of trustees invoked its "constitutionally protected religious exemption" from the jurisdiction of the NLRB. This move follows a 1979 Supreme Court decision regarding the Catholic Bishop of Chicago, which ruled that the NLRB should not seek to regulate religious institutions.
The news has sparked controversy, with some arguing that the university's decision is a form of union-busting. LMU plans to expand full-time positions, strengthen contracts, and promote pathways for non-tenure-track faculty. However, the university will drop its number of athletic teams from 20 to an NCAA minimum 14, affecting several sports.
The university's decision comes as some 600 Catholic institutions across the U.S., including universities, hospitals, and other medical facilities, are unionized according to a 2024 report by the Catholic Labor Network. However, the search results do not contain information about any university applying in 2024 to withdraw its 44-year-old faculty student union.
The decision has drawn allegations of union-busting from faculty members and leaders of Service Employees International Union Local 721. University of California employees have sued President Trump over a $1.2-billion penalty against UCLA and federal demands for sweeping campus changes, arguing that the actions are unconstitutional and will harm the entire UC system. As the situation continues to develop, it remains to be seen how LMU will navigate this contentious issue.
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