UTSF is the exclusive bargaining representative for tenure-system faculty and continuous-system librarians. Curious why you should join UTSF? Read on.
Why join UTSF
Faculty built MSU: our teaching, research, and service create the value the university runs on. A union lets us meet the administration as equals, and turns shared priorities—fair and competitive pay, real academic freedom, and a say in the decisions that shape our work—into a legally binding contract the university must honor.
UTSF is run by the faculty and librarians it represents. Members elect the Executive Council, At-Large Members of the Executive Board, and Association Representatives, set bargaining priorities, and vote on any agreement before it takes effect. The more of us who join, the stronger our voice is at the bargaining table.
What every bargaining unit member gets
Once UTSF and MSU ratify a first contract, the contract covers every eligible tenure-system faculty member and continuous-system librarian, regardless of whether the faculty or librarian is a UTSF member or not.
- Bargaining unit members get all the same legal protections and benefits of the ratified collective bargaining agreement as UTSF members.
- Feel like MSU has violated the UTSF-MSU contract? Reach out and UTSF will assist you, regardless of membership status.
What membership adds
The most important benefit of membership is helping strengthen the collective voice of UTSF at the bargaining table. Membership is the source of bargaining power. The more faculty and librarians that join UTSF, the better UTSF will be able to extract concessions from MSU. Beyond that, only members get a say in what the contract contains, and only members hold the rights of membership:
- Ability to vote on ratifying or rejecting a proposed UTSF-MSU contract.
- A direct voice in setting contract priorities.
- Ability to run for and vote for or against union officers, board members, and representatives.
- Individual representation in employment matters (beyond contract violations), plus NEA and MEA affiliate benefits, including the Educators Employment Liability Program.
- A voice in how the union is run, including governance infrastructure and local union dues.
UTSF union dues
Union dues fall into three buckets: dues paid to (1) NEA, (2) MEA, and (3) UTSF. Dues are democratically set by union members, and this determination will take place when we are close to ratifying our first contract. However, we estimate union dues to be around $100 per month—roughly $20 per month to NEA, $70 per month to MEA, and $10 per month to UTSF.
Members pay no dues until the first full collective bargaining agreement is ratified.
Timeline: the road to a first contract
Recognition on September 8, 2025 gave UTSF the legal standing to bargain. Since then, members have elected the Executive Council, At-Large Members of the Executive Board, and Association Representatives; formed committees; and begun identifying shared bargaining priorities ahead of a formal demand to bargain.
From there, UTSF and MSU schedule bargaining sessions and exchange proposals. First contracts at other universities have sometimes taken a year or longer to reach. Once negotiators agree on contract language, UTSF members review and vote on the tentative agreement before it is ratified—and only then do member dues begin.
We hope to have a tentative contract ready for member review and vote in the second half of 2027.
We cannot promise what will or will not be in the first contract. But, read the union difference for examples of what faculty at other universities have successfully negotiated. For other questions and answers, read frequently asked questions.