The MLA Enterprise Agreement: An Overview for Employers and Employees

The Modern Language Association (MLA) is one of the largest professional organizations for scholars who study language and literature. It represents over 24,000 members in the United States and abroad. In addition to hosting conferences and publishing scholarly journals, the MLA is also involved in advocacy for its members, including negotiating collective bargaining agreements.

One such agreement is the MLA Enterprise Agreement, which covers non-tenure track faculty at colleges and universities. This article will provide an overview of the MLA Enterprise Agreement, its benefits, and requirements for employers and employees.

Benefits of the MLA Enterprise Agreement

The MLA Enterprise Agreement provides several benefits for non-tenure track faculty, including job security, fair pay, and professional development opportunities. The agreement requires colleges and universities to offer multi-year contracts to non-tenure track faculty who have served for a certain period of time. This provides job security and stability, which is especially important for contingent faculty who often have to reapply for their job each semester.

The agreement also outlines fair pay guidelines for non-tenure track faculty. It requires colleges and universities to pay adjunct faculty at least as much as a proportionate share of the salary of a full-time, tenure-track faculty member. This ensures that non-tenure track faculty are not being paid less for doing the same work as tenure-track faculty.

Lastly, the MLA Enterprise Agreement includes provisions for professional development opportunities for non-tenure track faculty. This can include attending conferences, presenting research, and participating in other scholarly activities that can help non-tenure track faculty advance in their careers.

Requirements for Employers

Colleges and universities that are signatories to the MLA Enterprise Agreement are required to provide certain benefits and protections to their non-tenure track faculty. These include offering multi-year contracts to non-tenure track faculty after they have completed a certain number of semesters or years of service. The agreement also requires that colleges and universities pay non-tenure track faculty at least as much as a proportionate share of the salary of a full-time, tenure-track faculty member.

In addition, employers are required to provide professional development opportunities to non-tenure track faculty. These opportunities can include attending conferences, presenting research, and participating in other scholarly activities that can help non-tenure track faculty advance in their careers.

Requirements for Employees

To be eligible for the benefits outlined in the MLA Enterprise Agreement, non-tenure track faculty must meet certain requirements. These can include having a certain level of education, experience, or expertise in their field. In addition, non-tenure track faculty are expected to participate in professional development activities and perform their duties to the best of their ability.

Non-tenure track faculty are also expected to comply with the requirements of the agreement, including attendance at meetings and participation in the collective bargaining process. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the loss of certain benefits or even termination of employment.

In conclusion, the MLA Enterprise Agreement provides important benefits and protections for non-tenure track faculty at colleges and universities. Employers that are signatories to the agreement are required to offer job security, fair pay, and professional development opportunities to their non-tenure track faculty. Non-tenure track faculty, in turn, are expected to meet certain requirements and comply with the agreement`s provisions. By working together, employers and employees can create a more equitable and supportive workplace for non-tenure track faculty.