Make Your Voice Heard: Vote Today

May 24, 2024

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

Recently, you should have received a ballot at your home address. I encourage you to vote as soon as possible to ensure that your voice helps determine whether or not the Service Employees International Union will be certified to represent you and other specified NTT faculty at LMU. As explained in previous messages and my town halls, I strongly urge you to vote “no” on unionization. If you do not vote, this critical and impactful decision will be left to only a few to determine.

Reminders

If you did not receive your ballot, please contact Region 31 of the National Labor Relations Board by May 29, 2024 at 310.235.7351.
Please mail your ballots by June 4, 2024 to ensure they are received before the close of business on June 10, 2024. Ballots will be counted on June 11, 2024.
The sample ballot and election instructions can be found here.
We continue updating the Frequently Asked Questions on our Conversations website to assist you in making an informed decision.

Points to Consider When Voting
LMU is pro-faculty, and that is why I recommend voting against unionization. While I have provided more detail in my town halls, I believe that creating a union may result in:

Less Flexibility, More Bureaucracy

Unions often negotiate standardized contracts, potentially reducing LMU’s ability to make responsive and timely decisions about hiring, promotions, and compensation. A union will be challenged to effectively represent the diverse needs of our NTT faculty.
Unionization often leads to additional layers of bureaucracy and slower decision-making processes because they introduce more administrative hurdles. Collective bargaining agreements are often complex and time-consuming to negotiate, requiring significant time and effort from the union and the university.

Our LMU, Our Culture

We prefer working directly with you. Working through a third party runs counter to the personalized, relational culture that has always been a hallmark of our institution. We currently benefit from our capacity to work directly with NTT faculty to address individual needs. Our relationship will be different if you are represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
The university does not believe that NTT faculty colleagues are “service employees.” You are essential educators and community members who deliver academic excellence in support of our students. We operate more effectively when our faculty are unified and integrated, not divided as those represented by a “service employees” union versus non-union faculty members.

Further Constraining Your Resources and Ours

Unionized faculty members must pay union dues, an additional financial burden.
LMU’s financial resources are finite, funded by tuition from our students and their families. Our two top budget priorities remain student financial aid and faculty/staff salaries and benefits. We are a non-profit institution and our resources will not change with the presence of a union. LMU remains committed to ensuring that our budget reflects our values, including addressing tuition affordability so we may attract and retain academically qualified students, regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds.

We Listen, Let’s Talk

LMU has a long history of listening to and addressing NTT faculty concerns. Outcomes like the Gerstmann Report, the presence of NTT faculty in our governance structure, the multi year compensation initiative, and many other examples demonstrate that we care.
We know there is more work to do—so let’s figure it out together.

Thank you for your engagement and consideration throughout this process. I look forward to continuing our conversations and working together in an environment of open and cooperative communication. In the meantime, please vote your conscience, and I hope you agree that a “no” vote is in all of our best interests.

Sincerely,
Tom

Thomas Poon, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Provost
Professor of Chemistry