New York AG Seeks Dismissal of St. John's Union Lawsuit

The New York attorney general's office has asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by St. John's University. The motion argues the court must not interfere while the case is pending before the New York Public Employment Relations Board.

St. John's withdrew recognition of its two longstanding faculty unions in February 2026. The school's President, Brian Shanley, then stated the collective bargaining relationship hindered the institution's Catholic-centered mission. The unions filed unfair labor practice charges, prompting the college to sue the employment relations board to block those charges. The attorney general's filing contends the school's claimed harm is hypothetical and that legal precedent requires federal courts to abstain from such ongoing state proceedings.

"The university attempts to get the best of both worlds," the attorney general's office wrote, arguing St. John's presents itself as a global institution to attract talent while claiming to be an insular theological entity in court.

Cal State Unions Demand Promised Raises

Unions for skilled workers across the California State University system held rallies during student move-in and convocation events in August. They are demanding the system fund contractually promised raises that were due in July 2025. According to the CSU Teamsters, which represents 27,000 workers, only campus presidents and senior executives received raises in 2025.

At Cal State LA, Teamsters picketed with a coalition of unions. Members at Cal State Long Beach disrupted President Jane Close Conoley's convocation address with chants for a fair contract. A union spokesperson said the actions were to demand CSU pay the promised raises.

Mediation Sought in UIC and Oregon Disputes

After seven months of bargaining, the University of Illinois Chicago's faculty union requested mediation, which management agreed to. Their previous contract expired on August 15. The union says the parties remain far apart on compensation, job security for non-tenure-track faculty, and transparency in AI-related policies.

Charitianne Williams, bargaining committee co-chair, said union gestures of good will were ignored. She accused management of prolonging the process.

At the University of Oregon, it was school representatives who sought state mediation following six months of talks with graduate employees. The union accuses management of stall tactics and proposing status-quo language. It says the campus's latest salary proposal included no raises for five years and that officials have not responded to proposals on protecting noncitizen employees, workplace safety, and academic freedom. University officials called mediation a normal phase of bargaining, with the first session set for September 16.

Hofstra Averts Strike, Auburn Protests Governance

Hofstra University's faculty union called off a planned September 1 strike after reaching an agreement to extend its existing contract through September 4. Anthony Basile, president of the Hofstra AAUP chapter, told News 12 Long Island that meaningful progress had been made and continuing negotiations was the best path to a fair agreement.

At Auburn University, the wall-to-wall union plans a visibility event outside the September 11 Board of Trustees meeting. This follows the board's June decision to assume complete control over curriculum and dissolve the Faculty Senate, actions faculty say ended shared governance. The United Campus Workers of Alabama Auburn chapter stated the event will communicate how these changes negatively affect students and the institution's future, posing the question: "IS THIS AUBURN?"

The report from Inside Higher Ed details these ongoing labor tensions across multiple campuses as the new academic year begins.