The United Academics of Ohio University was officially certified as a faculty union Thursday, after the State Employment Relations Board dismissed the university’s objections to the March election.
The certification follows a 453-189 vote by eligible faculty in favor of unionizing.
According to a previous report by The Post, OU submitted an objection to the union to SERB following the vote in March, claiming some eligible voters did not receive ballots.
Although UAOU won the vote by over 70%, the university maintained its objection. However, SERB found no wrongdoing on the part of the UAOU and voted unanimously to waive the university’s objections, according to a social media post by UAOU.
According to UAOU’s Instagram post, SERB ordered OU’s objection to the vote to be dismissed and certified UAOU as the exclusive representative of all employees in the bargaining unit.
“After reviewing the record in its entirety, SERB adopts the Administrative Law Judge’s Report of Investigation and finds insufficient evidence warranting a set-aside of the mail-ballot election in this matter,” the board said in an order. “SERB hereby dismisses OU’s Post-Election Objections and certifies United Academics of Ohio University…as the exclusive representative of all employees in the unit.”
OU has 15 days to appeal the decision, according to UAOU.
“We will now pivot to our bargaining campaign and do the work needed to win a great first contract,” UAOU said in the post.
UAOU said they will continue to provide more information as the negotiation teams and bargaining surveys are prepared.
