Lincoln University faculty look to start collective bargaining unit

The Missouri National Education Association announced it is working with faculty members at Lincoln University to organize a collective bargaining unit Monday.

The group held a pledge drive last week to see if faculty members were interested, according to Dr. Abdoulaye Bah, a professor at Lincoln University.

Bah expects faculty to vote on the move in the next month or so.

There has been talk for more than a year to start the process to unionize. But it is not just about faculty seeking pay raises, according to Bah.

“This is not just about people trying to argue about money,” Bah said. “It’s about trying to really make sure that the environment in which they work, you know, when some of us retire is still sound and viable place.”

In July, the board of curators voted to eliminate two degree programs.

And this past weekend, Lincoln University fired head football coach Mike Jones.

Bah said the faculty’s efforts are not in response to a specific event or person, but some faculty members feel their voices are not being heard.

“The faculty would like to have a voice at the table,” Bah said. “It doesn’t mean that they have to really always get their way, but at least that their input has been taken into consideration in the process of trying to make a decision regarding the outcome for our students and for an institution.”

ABC 17 News reached out to Lincoln University for its reaction to the move, but has not received an immediate response.