Freshman Senator Receives Support on First Bill on Floor
ST. PAUL, MINN. – On Thursday, the Senate passed Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten (DFL-St. Paul) bill SF 1213, to allow Minnesota State Colleges and Universities faculty teaching classes outside of the traditional fall or spring semesters to get union representation. Currently, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities faculty that only work during summer months cannot join a union. This is the first bill presented by Sen. Oumou Verbeten to pass on the floor. After the passage, Sen. Oumou Verbeten released the following statement:
“This bill provides a simple and great fix to support our Minnesota State faculty. By passing this bill, we allow impacted employees to gain the representation and protections they deserve. The largest group impacted by this statute is adjunct faculty – a group that already has the least protections and benefits. We have moved away from the traditional fall or summer course load and moved into the modern reality of year-round higher educational opportunities. It’s time to modernize our protections for faculty. Adjunct faculty should qualify for union representation. They deserve access to the same benefits as their colleagues like minimum pay, tuition waivers, paid leave, professional development resources, and more. I’m happy that the legislature is making this change and showing our Minnesota State faculty that we have been listening and care.”
To qualify for union representation under this bill, faculty must meet the minimum threshold of more than three credits or two or more classes.
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Learn more about Sen. Oumou Verbeten.
