The Faculty Association filed a request for an injunction with the National Labor Relations Board on Feb. 4 requiring the University of Chicago to engage in good-faith negotiations about the return to in-person learning. 

On Jan. 28, Interim Director David Magill announced to the community the return to in-person learning for grades 6-12 on March 8. Grades 3-5 will return on Feb. 22.

The FA claims the administration’s refusal to negotiate working conditions combined with the short time frame before the return to in-person learning constitutes a violation of the National Labor Relations Act.

According to FA Vice President Sharon Housinger, a U-High science teacher, faculty members are concerned about the lack of details on the plan to return. The FA is requesting for negotiations to participate in the planning of the hybrid schedule, health and safety guidelines, and other details.

According to Ms. Housinger, the FA filed the request after FA President Jim Catlett, also a U-High science teacher, requested to discuss the conditions of the return to in-person classes and received a response from Mr. Magill characterizing the conditions as non-negotiable. 

According to Ms. Housinger, the health and workload of teachers are all mandatory bargaining subjects and the university hasn’t left enough time to engage in good-faith negotiation before the March 8 return to classrooms.

The NLRB usually rules on requests within days of filing, according to Ms. Housinger. 

If the request is approved, FA leaders will file a request for an injunction in federal court to determine if the return to in-person learning should be delayed until negotiations occur.

The following is a letter obtained by the Midway and sent to the faculty from Mr. Catlett.