A Message from AAUP regarding the potential layoff of Westminster Faculty
October 13, 2017

Colleagues,
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We have word from Westminster colleagues and students that the Rider University administration may send layoff notices to Westminster faculty because of their intent to sell the college. These reports are presented as if this would be an obvious and innocuous step because of the administration’s proposed separation of the college from the university.

This is not the case.

The administration could enter into negotiations with the AAUP about the terms and conditions of employment if they sell WCC to get an Agreement in advance of issuing layoff notices. The administration could have chosen a deal that doesn't turn Westminster over until September 2019. In those cases, negotiating the impact of the sale (which is a union’s legal right) could have taken place before not after the layoff notices.

Once layoff notices go out, if they are left unchallenged, there is absolutely no guarantee that faculty will be rehired if the deal falls through. In addition, there is no guarantee that the new owners will hire all of the faculty or that those hired will be at the same terms and conditions.

At this point, just like the Westminster faculty, the AAUP has been shut out of any role in the discussions with potential buyers and the administration has refused to discuss the impact of this sale prior to issuing layoff notices.
 
AAUP Executive Committee,Elizabeth Scheiber, President  
Mike Brogan, VP  
Jeff Halpern, CGO  
Joel Phillips, AGO  
Kathy Price, Treasurer/Fin. Sec.
Kathleen Pierce, Recording Sec.  
Tracey Garrett, At-Large Member  
Matthew Goldie, At-Large Member  
Art Taylor, Immediate Past President
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