Please donate to support NYU Contract Faculty on strike!

I am an ally and friend of multiple Contract Faculty at NYU and after a year and a half of bargaining, the NYU Administration is still stalling and refusing to reach a fair contract for almost 1,000 Contract Faculty members at NYU. Contract faculty make up half of the full-time faculty on campus and they are fighting for a living wage in the nation’s most expensive city, meaningful fixes to salary compression, academic freedom, stronger benefits, and greater control over curricula in the face of increasing political pressure and the rapid advance of AI.

This hardship fund is established to support NYU Contract Faculty during this critical struggle and welcomes donations from students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and allies who are able to give in these difficult times.

Who are the Contract Faculty at NYU?

NYU Contract Faculty United (CFU-UAW) is the Union representing more than 930 Contract Faculty members across multiple NYU’s schools at both Manhattan and Brooklyn campuses. CFU-UAW is fighting for fair wages, stable benefits, and working conditions that ensure and support high-quality teaching and student support.

This fund will be used to supplement the limited financial support members receive from the UAW Strike Assistance Program to ensure that Contract Faculty can maintain a strong picket line and help members who experience emergency hardship as a result of disrupted pay, childcare needs, medical costs, or urgent living expenses. Your donations will also maintain solidarity by ensuring that Contract Faculty can strike without choosing between safety and advocacy. Since many Contract Faculty are already under financial strain because of their salaries, this fund will help them stay afloat and keep their families fed and housed.

It's also important to know that the administration has repeatedly broken the law by refusing to negotiate with CFU-UAW over housing and retiree health benefits, by unilaterally changing the terms and conditions of the jobs of contract faculty in some schools, and by attempting to intimidate non-union colleagues into crossing picket lines.

Your contribution helps sustain a powerful, principled stand for fair treatment, equal pay for equal work, and academic integrity at NYU. Every donation, large or small, makes a tangible difference in keeping the strike strong and the coalition united.

For more information please visit: https://nyucontractfacultyunion.org/

Fund Distribution & Oversight Information

This fundraiser was initiated by myself, a supporter and ally of CFU-UAW not a member of the union. Funds will be withdrawn and will be transferred into a dedicated bank account created jointly with an authorized union member designated for the CFU-UAW Hardship Fund. The organizer (myself) will not retain any portion of the funds.

Once transferred, all funds will be managed by a CFU-UAW Hardship Fund Committee composed of union members and elected representatives. Committee members are contract faculty within the bargaining unit and are responsible for reviewing requests, approving distributions, and ensuring funds are used solely to support members experiencing financial hardship related to labor actions. The Hardship Fund Committee is committed to administering these funds with transparency, accountability, and care.

Funds will be distributed as direct financial assistance to eligible union members. Assistance will be provided in the form of electronic payments (e.g., ACH, Zelle, or similar methods). Distribution amounts will be determined based on demonstrated need, through a digital application process, in order to prioritize those experiencing the greatest financial hardship. All distributions will follow internal guidelines established by the Hardship Fund Committee and voted by CFU-UAW members.

CFU-UAW has reached a tentative agreement with NYU and is pausing donations. The hardship fund is now transitioning into the distribution phase. Funds will begin to be distributed as soon as they are transferred to the account, with initial disbursements expected within 7-10 days, and continued support provided over the following 3–5 weeks as applications are reviewed and processed.

Any unused funds will be donated to Make the Road NY to support their critical mission.