Our Fights, Our Wins
AFSCME Higher Education unions take on the fight to raise employment standards at institutions of higher learning nationwide, including:
- Fair Pay and across-the-board raises
- Robust and accessible health benefits
- A safe workplace
- Career Advancement
- Telework and Schedule Flexibility
- Affordable Parking
- Academic and Political Freedom
- Access to Tuition benefits
- A voice over emergency/essential status and hazard pay
Higher Education United Contract Highlights
AFSCME Higher Education United members have used their collective voice to negotiate hundreds of enforceable contracts to raise standards in higher education nationwide. Highlights among them include:
Economic Security & Benefits
- Annual raises from cost-of-living adjustments, step increases, and longevity pay.
- Shift differentials of up to 15% for working late, working out of class or working in hazardous/undesirable conditions.
- Bilingual pay and premiums for attaining an advanced degree.
- Access to tuition free undergraduate and graduate courses, including for spouses, partners and dependents.
- Financial help with child care expenses.
- Free or reduced parking costs and financial help with public transportation costs.
- Pension and retiree health care benefits.
- Eligibility for hazard pay.
Employment Security
- Layoff and furlough protections, recall procedures and required negotiations over proposed layoffs and furloughs.
- Limitations on outsourcing and processes for insourcing privatized services.
Health and Time Off Benefits
- A variety of kinds of PTO, including vacation, sick, personal and parental leave and more to care for yourself and family.
- Access to wellness facilities like campus gyms, including for family members.
- Health care insurance with low or no premiums, including for temporary and part-time employees.
- Employer-provided safety equipment and enforceable health, safety and heat standards.
- Parental support policies such as lactation support.
Career Advancement
- Access to training and professional development programs.
- Paths to full-time, year-round employment for part-time and seasonal workers.
- Employer-paid access for certifications and licenses.
- Clear and accessible promotion processes such as job reclassification.
A Powerful Voice on the Job
- Workplace safety committees, labor management committees, uniform committees and more to raise concerns, address issues and solve problems with employer in real time.
- Union seats on strategic planning boards.
- Union member representation on academic freedom panels.
- Freedom of expression and prohibition on politically motivated questioning.
- Employee privacy rights and protections against employer surveillance.
Hear our stories:
Jaret Leong - Academic Director
Jaret Leong - Academic Director
"Through the strong advocacy of our union, the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA/AFSCME L152), we successfully secured Temporary Hazard Pay (THP) of $10,000 to $20,000 for employees..."
Kate McGrath - Associate Dean
Kate McGrath - Associate Dean
"When management standardized our roles, my union stood up for fairness, making sure gender pay equity was part of the deal. Because of their leadership, I received a substantial raise..."
Heather Carper - Image Processing Technician
Heather Carper - Image Processing Technician
"Our work is extremely siloed across departments. Oftentimes decisions are being made at the top without a clear picture of how this impacts those who carry out the work..."
Jessica Martin - Conservation Lab Technician
Jessica Martin - Conservation Lab Technician
"My job is to improve access to knowledge and culture, and to preserve it for future generations. Being part of my union helps to ensure that I am treated fairly and compensated appropriately while doing so."
Tim Evans - Environmental Services Lead
Tim Evans - Environmental Services Lead
"We have the strongest contract we've ever achieved, and we did it by standing together and using our voice to fight for what we deserve. I’ve never..."
Josh Garman - Instrument Maker
Josh Garman - Instrument Maker
"Being on a university campus means that we are often spread thin over a large area. That makes it even more important for us to come together and remind management that we stand united."
Kelly Overshiner - Custodian
Kelly Overshiner - Custodian
"I’ve been a proud AFSCME member going on 7 years. I first joined when I realized I could be a part of the negotiating team for our contracts and advocate for my campus..."
Deb Shambrook - Binding/Processing Coordinator
Deb Shambrook - Binding/Processing Coordinator
"In my work, I love getting library materials ready for patron use and knowing it will help with their studies or research. By being part of my union..."
Erika Stevenson - Building Service Worker
Erika Stevenson - Building Service Worker
"I like seeing the difference I make for students every day cleaning my area and knowing that I'm appreciated. Organizing our union helps..."
Robbie Vermillion - Office Manager
Robbie Vermillion - Office Manager
"Being part of AFSCME means protection and comfort in job security. I know many people who are not protected by unions and live in the constant fear..."
Amanda Dykema - Proposal Development Manager
Amanda Dykema - Proposal Development Manager
"When talking with my coworkers I encourage people to join our union because that’s how we create sustainable workplaces and build the university’s mission..."
Keefer Dunn - Associate Professor, Adjunct
Keefer Dunn - Associate Professor, Adjunct
"Academic work is becoming more and more precarious. We can’t just take it on good faith that school administrators will reverse this trend or fight back against..."
Brandon Ziska - Campus Security Officer
Brandon Ziska - Campus Security Officer
"Get your collective voice together. That’s paramount. We stay informed and support each other in our rights. When folks see the growth in what we have..."
Larry Dunkins - Senior Sanitation Operator
Larry Dunkins - Senior Sanitation Operator
"Being a union member at Duke University for the last 15 years has meant 15 years of job security, protections, and the power..."
German Gil, Pharmacy Tech
German Gil, Pharmacy Tech
"Being active in my union allows me to protect affordable healthcare for me and my family. With my previous health plan through my previous employer, I was paying $300 for a single appointment..."