50 signatures reached
To: Full-time faculty members, adjunct faculty, staff, students, and community members connected to Howard Community College
Tell HCC to Stop Wasting Tax Dollars!
We, the undersigned, are members of the United Academics of Maryland community, including parents, students, alumni, interested community organizations, and local residents. We stand in solidarity with the full-time faculty of Howard Community College as they continue to work toward fair and equitable contract negotiations.
Whereas:
The college has spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on external anti-union legal fees and union-busting tactics instead of investing those resources into supporting educators, students, and our community.
The administration has delayed contract negotiations for nearly a year and a half, failing to come to the table prepared, stalling progress, and undermining the integrity of the negotiation process.
Faculty have been repeatedly intimidated, with attempts to silence their voices and prevent them from speaking at Board of Trustees meetings, where community input should be valued and encouraged.
Furthermore, faculty have been intimidated by the illegal removal of union-related posters from their offices and further threats of noncompliance with this illegal action.
The administration continues attempting to make significant changes without consulting the union, disregarding the importance of collective bargaining and educators' critical role in shaping policies that directly affect students' well-being and learning.
These actions create unnecessary tension, diverting attention from what matters most: providing quality education for our community and ensuring faculty have the resources and support they need to succeed.
We demand that the Howard Community College administration:
Immediately cease using union-busting tactics and redirect funds toward student-centered investments, such as improving classroom resources, increasing faculty support, and addressing community needs.
Come to the negotiation table in good faith, prepared to negotiate a fair and equitable contract expeditiously for the faculty who are dedicated to the success and well-being of students in this district.
Respect the voices of faculty and union leaders by allowing them to speak without retaliation and be actively involved in decision-making processes that impact our classrooms.
Engage with the union in a collaborative, transparent, and respectful manner, ensuring that all changes to policies affecting faculty and students are discussed and negotiated.
We believe that supporting community college professors directly impacts the quality of education our students receive and the overall well-being of our community.
We, the undersigned, support our faculty and call on the Howard Community College administration to prioritize education, fairness, and respect by engaging in honest and productive contract negotiations.
Why is this important?
Howard Community College is a pillar of Howard County and a key institution for students, parents, workers, families, and residents of Howard County, and the faculty who serve that institution are dedicated to serving that community as well. The full-time faculty at HCC are the people executing the mission of the college, providing high-quality education for our students, and creating community on campus, and they deserve recognition for their commitment to our community in the form of a strong union contract. Faculty have been in the process of negotiating with the college for close to a year and a half and have been met with stalling tactics, unpreparedness by the college, and disrespect from administrators. At the same time, the college is actively suppressing union speech on campus and working to intimidate faculty to prevent them from speaking out. This behavior is unacceptable and in direct opposition of what Maryland and Howard County Legislators intended when collective bargaining rights were given to faculty years ago. The signers of this petition demand that HCC cease their union-busting behavior and treat faculty with respect in order to rebuild the community and recenter the mission of the College.