Scott, Nadler and 68 Members of Congress Applaud NLRB’s Columbia University Decision
Members urge private college and university administrators to ensure a climate that enables free and fair elections
WASHINGTON – Following a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision, regarding Columbia University, which restored the right of research assistants (RAs) and teaching assistants (TAs) to form unions and collectively bargain, 69 members of Congress, led by Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), issued a statement urging private universities and colleges to ensure that TAs and RAs can fully and freely exercise these statutory rights, without interference, delay, or coercion. The Columbia University decision found that TAs and RAs are both students and employees providing essential services under the direction of the University, who receive compensation for the performance of their work. Thus, they are also statutory “employees” entitled to the protection of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Full text of the statement below:
“As Members of the U. S. House of Representatives, we recognize the invaluable role our colleges and universities play in strengthening the economy and our democracy. Our public and private universities are economic engines, serving as large employers, and their research arms often bring millions of dollars of investment while spurring innovations and breakthroughs. Universities are also designed to be democratic institutions where academic freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of association thrive.
“We applaud the recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board in Columbia University because:
- This decision restores legal protection to the rights of teaching assistants and research assistants (TAs and RAs) at private universities to freely associate and bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing.
- While they are students, both TAs and RAs are also employees providing essential services under the direction of the University, and they receive compensation for the performance of their work. Thus, they are also statutory “employees” entitled to the protection of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
- The Board explicitly stated that RAs have the right to bargain collectively when the University exerts the requisite control over RAs’ work and they are paid for their research activity, without regard to the funding source.
“Year after year, outstanding scholars from world-renowned colleges and universities go on to become the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, inventors, creators, academics, and more. The robust debate and intellectual freedom that are the hallmarks of our academic institutions have led to the scientific and technological advancements that help keep our nation great.
“Collective bargaining between university administrators and the representatives chosen by TAs and RAs will provide an orderly process by which these employees can seek to improve their wages, hours, and working conditions. This will allow both parties to resolve employment disputes in a manner that is consistent with the traditions of academic freedom and the highest-quality teaching, learning, and research.
“The NLRA guarantees the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers. To ensure the full and free exercise of these statutory rights, we urge administrators at our nation’s private universities to commit to the following:
- Refrain from taking any actions for the purpose of delaying the TAs’ and RAs’ right to choose a collective bargaining representative, and
- Ensure a free and fair election on unionization by creating a climate free from coercion and intimidation.
“We urge both university administrators and the representatives of TAs/RAs to commence good-faith negotiations for a contract immediately upon a majority vote in favor of union representation.
“Sincerely,
ROBERT C. "BOBBY" SCOTT Ranking Member Committee on Education and the Workforce |
JERROLD NADLER Ranking Member Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet |
NITA M. LOWEY Member of Congress |
BRIAN HIGGINS Member of Congress |
PAUL TONKO Member of Congress |
GRACE MENG Member of Congress |
SEAN PATRICK MALONEY Member of Congress |
KATHLEEN M. RICE Member of Congress |
NYDIA M. VELÁZQUEZ Member of Congress
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YVETTE D. CLARKE Member of Congress
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JOSÉ E. SERRANO Member of Congress
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CAROLYN B. MALONEY Member of Congress
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JOSEPH CROWLEY Member of Congress
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GREGORY W. MEEKS Member of Congress
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HAKEEM S. JEFFRIES Member of Congress |
LOUISE MCINTOSH SLAUGHTER Member of Congress |
CHARLES B. RANGEL Member of Congress |
STEVE ISRAEL Member of Congress |
WILLIAM R. KEATING Member of Congress
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KATHERINE M. CLARK Member of Congress |
JAMES P. MCGOVERN Member of Congress
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NIKI TSONGAS Member of Congress
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STEPHEN F. LYNCH Member of Congress
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SETH MOULTON Member of Congress
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JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, III Member of Congress
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MICHAEL E. CAPUANO Member of Congress
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ROBERT A. BRADY Member of Congress
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JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY Member of Congress
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LUIS V. GUTIÉRREZ Member of Congress |
ROSA L. DELAURO Member of Congress
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JAMES A. HIMES Member of Congress |
JOE COURTNEY Member of Congress
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ELIZABETH H. ESTY Member of Congress |
JOHN B. LARSON Member of Congress
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ZOE LOFGREN Member of Congress |
JUAN VARGAS Member of Congress
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ALAN S. LOWENTHAL Member of Congress
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JUDY CHU Member of Congress
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ERIC SWALWELL Member of Congress
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MICHAEL M. HONDA Member of Congress
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MARK DESAULNIER Member of Congress |
JERRY MCNERNEY Member of Congress
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ANNA G. ESHOO Member of Congress |
NORMA J. TORRES Member of Congress
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TED W. LIEU Member of Congress |
BRAD SHERMAN Member of Congress |
TONY CÁRDENAS Member of Congress |
DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ Member of Congress
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FREDERICA S. WILSON Member of Congress |
THEODORE E. DEUTCH Member of Congress
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LOIS FRANKEL Member of Congress |
ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON Member of Congress
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RAÚL M. GRIJALVA Member of Congress |
HENRY C. “HANK” JOHNSON, JR. Member of Congress
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JIM MCDERMOTT Member of Congress |
PETER J. VISCLOSKY Member of Congress
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JOHN A. YARMUTH Member of Congress |
MARK POCAN Member of Congress
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ALMA S. ADAMS Member of Congress |
BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN Member of Congress
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JOHN CONYERS, JR. Member of Congress |
MARCY KAPTUR Member of Congress
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TIM RYAN Member of Congress
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DONNA F. EDWARDS Member of Congress
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BETTY MCCOLLUM Member of Congress
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SUZANNE BONAMICI Member of Congress |
GENE GREEN Member of Congress
ANN KIRKPATRICK Member of Congress |
DONALD S. BEYER, JR. Member of Congress
KEITH ELLISON Member of Congress |
Press Contact
Arika Trim (Scott), 202-226-0853
Daniel Schwarz (Nadler), 202-225-5635
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