The union of 930 full-time, non-tenure track faculty at New York University, NYU Contract Faculty United (CFU-UAW), rallied Thursday to kick off bargaining their first contract with the University. Members were joined by supporters including NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, NYS Senate Labor Committee Chair Jessica Ramos, NYS Senator Brian Kavanagh, and Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani.

The union's demands, based on input from hundreds of faculty members over the past several months, include improved benefits and salaries, expanded academic freedom and guaranteed job security. The bargaining comes eight months after a 553-72 vote to approve the union's official recognition on campus, making it the largest on-campus union for full-time, untenured professors at any private U.S. university. Following the approval, the union spent months forming its bargaining committee and establishing demands by surveying faculty, hosting group Zoom meetings and submitting the finalized list to union members for approval.

Read more in NYU News and check out a UAW thread with more photos and videos of the rally here!