As of February 24, more than 400 Michigan State University Extension employees who work in field offices across the state are officially represented by the Union of Non-Tenure Track Faculty (UNTF/AFT 1855) at MSU.
Extension staff voted overwhelmingly to join UNTF in an election conducted by the Michigan Employment Relations Commission, and now look forward to bargaining their first contract.
Barslund Judd, a consumer horticulture educator in Genesee County, captured the feelings of his fellow workers, “I’m really excited for the opportunity to move forward alongside my colleagues. Extension spoke loud and clear. We are better and stronger together.”
Stathis Pauls, an extension program instructor in Detroit, said, “Yesterday, MSU Extension employees across Michigan made history by voting to become the first independently organized extension network in the country. We stand together, stronger and better able to serve our beloved communities. Solidarity!”
Victor Rodriguez-Pereira, president of UNTF, stated, “I am excited and inspired by the hard-work the Extension Organizing Committee put into this campaign. This is a timely victory for labor in Michigan. Extension faculty are central to the land-grant mission of MSU, and the UNTF is looking forward to helping them get the working conditions they deserve. “
MSU Extension is a vital community partner providing educational resources and support to residents across Michigan. By forming a union, the staff aims to negotiate better working conditions that reflect their contributions to the university and the public.
