Benefits of Membership

OUR STRENGTH IS IN NUMBERS.
JOIN UNITED FACULTY OF FLORIDA TODAY!

“I consider it important, indeed urgently necessary, for intellectual workers to get together, both to protect their own economic status and, also, generally speaking, to secure their influence in the political field.” –ALBERT EINSTEIN, Charter Member, American Federation of Teachers, Princeton, 1938.

How do I join UFF?

Please click here for the New Member form. After you have printed out and completed the document please sign and return it to the address below:

Deandre Poole
UFF-FAU President
School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431

Reasons You Should Join UFF

In our profession, there are many things we can do as individuals:  completing advanced degrees, teaching courses, advising students, conducting research, writing scholarly articles and books.  But there are others we cannot accomplish alone and for which we need effective representation and collective action.  The United Faculty of Florida is the organization for higher education faculty and professionals in Florida, the only independent, legal voice of the faculty.

Accomplishments and activities of the union:

  • Collective bargaining: strengthen faculty authority and control
  • Equitable summer salaries
  • Protection of tenure
  • Increased number of sabbaticals
  • Fair grievance procedure with independent arbitration: only members are represented by UFF in grievances
  • Protection of intellectual property rights
  • Phased retirement
  • Protection of academic freedom
  • Sick leave pool
  • Right to UFF representation in faculty/administrator meetings
  • Strict guidelines for nonrenewal, layoff and termination
  • Regular consultation with administration on faculty concerns
  • Annual assessment of administrators
  • Low-cost disability, auto and homeowners insurance
  • Recent UFF-FAU Activities
    • Through bargaining, we achieved a paid parental leave policy and partner benefits as well as a promotional system for Instructors and Lecturers
    • We are in the process of bargaining for raises, a dependent tuition waiver and against eroding rights of tenure
  • Recent State UFF Activities
    • Fighting against the loss of tenure for K-12 teachers
    • Critiquing inappropriate metrics to judge the university’s mission
    • Exposing the limits of Massive Open Online Courses in faculty autonomy and determination of the curriculum

Who can join?

Members of the Bargaining Unit-faculty, librarians, and other professionals at FAU.

How much does it cost?
Membership dues are 1% of the member’s gross salary.

What are the additional benefits of joining other than helping strengthen our cause by uniting with us?
In addition to grievance representation and a $1 million dollar professional liability policy, your membership in UFF also automatically makes you a member of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, two of the most important national organizations vying for the profession today.

An investment in UFF protects not only your professional career, but enhances your economic well being. In addition to the professional liability insurance, UFF members have access to a variety of money-saving services. Each member accumulates free life and AD & D insurance and can take advantage of other services and programs including, low cost disability insurance, auto and homeowner policies, discount programs, consumer information and free financial planning services. For more on the many benefits available to UFF members visit AFT Plus Member Benefits, or call 1-800-238-1133, ext 8643, and NEA Member Benefits, telephone 1-800-637-4636.

Further, FEA provides an Attorney Referral Service with free consultation sessions and discounted fees for dues-paying UFF members. For a PDF list of participating attorneys in South Florida click here.

Important Notice

A major benefit of membership in UFF is the representation by an experienced UFF grievance representative in cases when your rights have been violated.

As of November 5, 2008, UFF cannot represent you in grievances if you were not a dues-paying union-member at the time a violation of your rights occurred.

What this means is that you cannot wait until “something happens” to join the union.

Again, how do I join UFF?

Please click here for the New Member form. After you have printed out and completed the document please sign and return it to the address below:

Deandre Poole
UFF-FAU President
School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431

The Chapter President will ensure that the original goes to the FAU Personnel/Payroll Deduction Office, one copy goes to the UFF Office in Tallahassee, and one is retained by the Membership Committee.

How can retirees join UFF?

The annual dues for a retiree are $81.00. The NEA/FEA/UFF retired life member amount is $400.00 (NEA: $200; FEA: $100 and UFF $100). In order for you to receive the NEA life membership the member must pay the $400 before retiring from his position.