University of the Arts hit with new charges of unfair labor practices as court date looms

With answers from University of the Arts leaders still in short supply and communication at a minimum, the union that represents faculty and staff of the now-closed school have filed new charges against it.

United Academics of Philadelphia officials announced two new charges Monday, filed with the National Labor Relations Board, over UArts’ failure to bargain over pay and benefits for the workers who remained employed after the college abruptly closed on June 7. The union also accused the school of refusal to provide information necessary for meaningful negotiations about the closure.

University of the Arts’ former president, Kerry Walk, and its board of trustees chairman, Judson Aaron, stunned the community by announcing May 31 that the school would close just seven days later because of an unspecified financial crisis. Walk resigned a few days later, and a management firm has been brought in to oversee the closure.

More than 600 employees were laid off June 7, but some workers were asked to stay as part of a “wind down team.”

But the fate of even those workers is up in the air, union officials said.

“The University of the Arts has behaved disgracefully throughout this painful and prolonged process,” Daniel Pieczkolon, union president, said in a statement. “UAP members have been left without clear answers as to when their benefits will run out and when or if they will be paid for work already completed.”

The new unfair bargaining charges are not the first the union has leveled against the university; it had already accused it of failing to bargain on the terms of workers’ severance and benefits.

One bargaining session was held, on June 20; at that session, university officials said UArts did not appear to have enough money to pay workers the minimum owed them under federal law. The university representatives made no proposals on health insurance, severance or other benefits and said they had no concrete information on the university’s finances, labor leaders have said.

No further sessions have been scheduled. In light of the stalemate, the union has updated its initial charges, claiming UArts is engaging in “surface bargaining” and “contract repudiation” in violation of its contract.

“We will continue to use every avenue to fight for justice for the communities affected by the feckless leadership of Jud Aaron and the UArts Board of Trustees throughout this catastrophe,” Pieczkolon said.

Union officials — and university representatives — are due in federal court Wednesday morning for an initial hearing in a lawsuit filed on behalf of all UArts employees.