Our union election will take place on January 29-30, 2024. We have the opportunity to vote to form our union in order to bargain collectively with Wellesley College administration over our pay, benefits, and working conditions. Below is the information you need in order to vote.

A secret-ballot election under the National Labor Relation Board's Rules and Regulations shall be held under the supervision of the Regional Director on the date and at the hours and places specified below.

Voting Location:
Alumnae Ballroom (ALH-101 Ballroom), Diana Chapman Walsh Alumnae Hall, 106 Central Street (main campus address), Wellesley, MA

Voting Times:

  • Monday, January 29, 2024, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

  • Tuesday, January 30, 2024, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Image of map showing Diana Chapman Walsh Alumnae Hall

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Eligible voters are Faculty on Term Appointments (FTA), Instructors in Science Laboratory (ISLs), and Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows employed during the payroll period ending December 15, 2023.

  • If you were hired after December 15, 2023, you may not be on the voter list. You can still vote, but will be asked to vote subject to challenge. Your ballot will still be kept secret inside its envelope, but it will be placed in an outer envelope marked as challenged and counted only if the total number of challenged ballots would determine the outcome.

  • Yes! We encourage everyone to vote. Challenged individuals can vote in the same way as non-challenged individuals, however challenged ballots will only be counted if they are determinative of the outcome (that is, if the number of challenged ballots cast is greater than the difference between non-challenged Yes and No votes).

  • Yes. This is how most elections work in the US. We encourage every eligible voter to make your voice heard. A strong “yes” vote in advance of bargaining creates more momentum and a mandate for negotiating a strong contract.

  • The question on the ballot will be “Do you wish to be represented for purposes of collective bargaining by Wellesley Organized Academic Workers -UAW?” The choices on the ballot will be "Yes" or "No".

    As FTAs, ISLs, and Mellon Postdocs, we make up our union, WOAW-UAW, and the more of us who vote yes, the more power we will have to negotiate a strong first contract with the Wellesley College Administration

  • When you enter the polling location, enter the Alumnae Ballroom in the Diana Chapman Walsh Alumnae Hall, or join the line if there is one. You will be asked for your name to determine whether you are on the voter list. If your name is not on the list, you can still vote but will be asked to cast your ballot subject to challenge. Then you will be directed to cast your ballot, after which you will exit the voting location.

  • The decision issued by the NLRB means that the vote will be only in-person and each voter must cast their own ballot during the allotted polling time.

  • The election is conducted by secret ballot, which means no one will be able to see how you voted. Representatives from the NLRB will count the ballots in front of observers from WOAW-UAW and from Wellesley College.

  • The ballot count is expected to take place directly after the polls close on Tuesday, January 30. We hope to be able to announce a result shortly after that

  • If we win our union election, Wellesley College will have a legal obligation to bargain with us over the terms and conditions of our work. You can find more information about next steps here.

  • We have compiled information on our website. We recommend starting with our general FAQ or About Page.