The contingent faculty at Barnard College have won their first contract, adding another victory for precarious academic workers across the country.
Barnard Contingent Faculty-UAW Local 2110 (BCF-UAW) is made up of about 200 adjunct professors and term faculty, predominantly women. It was certified back in October 2015 and had been negotiating with Barnard’s administration since February of last year.
In December, after getting nowhere, union members voted by an overwhelming majority—89 percent—in support of a strike. A strike date was set for February 21, and a tentative agreement was reached with just five days to spare. On March 26, BCF-UAW announced that a five-year contract had been ratified by its membership. More than 90 percent voted in favor.
"I think it's a strong contract. In some ways we had to compromise and there's room for improvement but we have a very good first contract and it creates a foundation for us moving forward," says Siobhan Burke, a Barnard graduate and adjunct lecturer of dance, who also sits on BCF-UAW's bargaining committee.


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