Dear UA-UNM Colleagues,
We have important bargaining news to share! Your UA-UNM Bargaining Team has worked hard to present meaningful proposals to the Administration since bargaining began a year ago in November 2024. And as you probably know, your Bargaining Team secured a 5% raise for all Unit 2 faculty and a 4% raise for all Unit 1 members this summer, making our total raises since 2021 (our first contract) 36.25% for all Unit 2 faculty and 23.2% for all Unit 1 faculty. We’ve heard from some Unit 2 members that their 5% raise was not included in their current contract, so make sure to check this!
Your bargaining team has held the line on other key issues, including Workload and Academic Freedom, language from our current contract that the administration is trying to scale back. We issued our last, best, final offer (LBFO) on September 10, 2025. On October 21, 2025, the UNM Administration issued us their LBFO. UA-UNM found the Administration’s offer unacceptable, and thus on October 21, 2025, the parties reached an impasse. Our next step is mediation, which we are currently working to schedule. Updates will continue to be shared as events unfold. Also note, we are planning a General Bargaining Meeting for Friday, November 21st, at 4 PM, please save the date and join us if you can!
In other news, we had a great Fall General Membership Meeting on October 16 with 58 members in attendance! You and your colleagues heard updates on UA-UNM’s involvement with Higher Ed Labor United (HELU), our strong financial standing and how we are budgeting our resources, and our growing Steward’s Council that has tripled in size since last year! We also had the chance to talk in small groups about critical issues facing higher education right now, like threats to academic freedom, and ideas for how we can collectively address them. You can see details shared at the meeting here.
As always, remember to encourage your colleagues to join UA-UNM here and keep reading for a list of upcoming UA-UNM events.
In Solidarity,
United Academics of UNM
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, November 4, 1:00-2:00pm – Organizing Committee – all campuses on Zoom
Help strengthen our union and our leverage at the bargaining table by encouraging more of our colleagues to get involved.
Email organizing@uaunm.org for the Zoom link and password.
Thursday, November 6, 12:00-1:00pm – Communications Committee Meeting – all campuses on Zoom
Join us to help share information with our members through weekly email updates, social media, our website, and union events.
Email info@uaunm.org for the Zoom link and password.
Tuesday, November 25, 1:00-2:00pm – Stewards Council – all campuses on Zoom
Help strengthen our union and our leverage at the bargaining table by encouraging more of our colleagues to get involved.
Email organizing@uaunm.org for the Zoom link and password.
Saturday, December 6, 1:00-4:00pm – Every Conversation Counts Training
AFT NM Office (530 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108)
Learn how to identify leaders, build relationships, and move people to action through meaningful dialogue. RSVP here.
Union Quote of the Week
“When spiders unite, they can tie down a lion.”
– Ethiopian Proverb
