What happens when the university violates the contract?
When the university violates the union contract (known legally as a Collective Bargaining Agreement or CBA), the union can file a formal grievance and move through the grievance process.

What's a grievance?
A grievance is any dispute concerning the interpretation, application, or claimed violation of a specific term or provision of our contract, and this grievance procedure is the sole and exclusive way to resolve such disputes. That exclusivity matters. It means neither NYU nor our Union can circumvent the process (e.g., by going straight to a lawsuit) for a contract dispute; they have to run it through these steps. We have 15 business days from the incident to file, or we lose the right to grieve it. (Discrimination and harassment claims don't have this deadline.)

The steps, in short:

1. Talk it out (Step 1). You and a union rep raise it with your supervisor. 10 business days to fix it, or it moves up.

2. Put it in writing (Step 2). Goes to the school Dean (and their designee, who usually hears the case), citing the exact contract article violated and what you want done. Dean has 10 business days to meet, 10 more to respond.

3. Escalate to University Employee Relations (Step 3). 10 business days to appeal, they meet within 10 business days, decide within 15.

4. Arbitration. If Step 3 doesn't fix it, either side can take it to an outside, neutral arbitrator within 30 business days. Their ruling is final and binding on NYU and on us.

If NYU stays silent at any step, we acknowledge the absence of a response and move to the next step.

What Protects You

• You're never alone. A union rep is with you at every step.

• Your union carries arbitration if it decides to move forward. You don't pay arbitration costs or navigate it solo.

• Binding decisions. NYU can't ignore an arbitrator's ruling once it's made.

• No surprise evidence. If NYU wants to use something from your personnel file against you in a discipline case, they have to give you a copy within 10 business days of filing it — or they can't use it.

• Retaliation is illegal. Filing a grievance is protected activity under federal labor law, separate from anything in our contract. NYU can't legally punish you for using this process. The contract also specifically bars retaliation for academic freedom (Art. VII) and for reporting health/safety issues in good faith (Art. XV). Any discipline still requires "just cause" (Art. XVII).
  

What to Watch Out For

• The 15-business day clock is unforgiving. Miss it, and you're out of luck, no matter how solid your case is. Act promptly.

• It can take a while. Steps 1–3 plus arbitration can stretch months. If you're semester-to-semester, the process might outlast your appointment.

• Precarity is a real (if quiet) pressure. NYU has broad discretion over scheduling, course assignments, and cancellations (Art. XXIV) — and most exercise of that discretion isn't grievable. Retaliation for filing a grievance or testifying in a grievance hearing is illegal, but it can be hard to prove when it's dressed up as a routine staffing decision. We'll be with adjuncts every step of the way to ensure they aren't targeted for exercising their right to grieve a contract violation and will always fight vigorously to protect our members.

• Not everything is grievable. NYU's "management rights" (Art. XXIV) are carved out unless they clearly violate specific contract language. A decision can feel unfair without technically breaking the contract.

• The Union controls arbitration, not you. If your case stalls at Step 3, only the Union can push it to arbitration. You can't do it alone.

• Keep your paper trail. Emails, appointment letters, pay stubs — you'll need specifics to back up a Step 2 filing. Document things as they happen, not after.