Q: What can I tell my students before a strike?

A: Before a strike is declared, members may share information about UFISU and their working conditions (see links below). Members should provide this info outside of formal instruction, before or after in-person or synchronous online classes. Generally, it is advisable to relay the information verbally to avoid having your text being forwarded to management or otherwise taken out of context. For asynchronous classes, we do not advise members to share info about a potential or actual strike (except for the auto-responder message described below) or to attempt to connect with students by establishing a separate channel such as a personal email or Slack.

Q: Will faculty receive enough notice of a strike to alert their students?

A: Difficult to say. Our bargaining team will take every chance to negotiate an agreement. And if a strike is declared, they will do their best to provide enough notice for faculty to remove personal effects from their offices. That said, we cannot predict whether a strike will - or will not - occur on a given day. We realize this puts all of us in a stressful position, but it’s important not to telegraph our intent to management.

If a strike is declared, members will be provided with an auto-responder message appropriate for work email or course websites. We urge members to avoid adding or amending the text because that action may lead to being singled out for retaliation or discipline by the admin.

Q: How can I communicate with my students during a strike?

A: During a strike, all work related to courses must cease. This includes emails and off-site meetings with students. However, students may support the strike by joining their professors on the picket line.

Q: Should I pull my materials down from Canvas?

A: No.

Q: Can I make these materials “invisible” or otherwise difficult for anyone else but me to use?

A: No.

Q: Should I remove my personal effects (e.g. favorite coffee cup) from my office before a strike starts?

A: Yes.

Q: Should I make copies of my online grade book?

A: Yes.

Q: During a strike, could my classes be taught by someone else?

A: Yes. Management may try to cover struck classes by offering the work to other employees (NT’s, grad workers, dept chairs, academic professionals, faculty from other colleges). We have advised our siblings in the NT and grad worker units, as well as the neighboring community college faculty unions of our situation, and they have instructed their members not to cover our work.

Q: What about student graduation, university accreditation, or other potential impacts from a strike?

A: Ultimately, ISU admin is responsible for avoiding a strike, so they bear the blame for any disruption to student learning or damage to the institution’s reputation. However, as part of getting back to work after a strike, the bargaining team will attempt to “bargain back” faculty work days But this is not guaranteed, which is why our strike must be short and powerful to be effective!

Helpful Links for Students

UFISU https://www.ufisu-upi.org/

UFISU Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557223154628

UFISU Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ufisu.upi?igsh=N3cyOWM2MWFlcW12

Student Support Letter (Action Network): https://actionnetwork.org/letters/why-your-professors-might-go-on-strike-and-how-you-can-help