The first Union of Adjunct Faculty at Pace (UAFP) collective bargaining agreement took effect on March 5, 2009, its timing a remarkable confluence of art and life.

The nascent organization had been locked in a four-year struggle with the university over its formation. The contract had been painstakingly negotiated but the school had not yet agreed to accept it. Meanwhile, the Spring production of the Performing Arts Department was opening – The Cradle Will Rock, a 1937 musical focusing on unionism, politics and industrialism.

Still uncertain of the union’s future, members joined the student cast onstage for the show’s finale, bringing the Depression-era allegory straight into the present. As theatrical magic would have it, the administration accepted the union’s contract during the run of the show. Theater lore doesn’t get any better than that.

We invite all Pace adjuncts to join us as we continue to rock the cradle, working toward better pay, more equitable promotions and a better educational experience for ourselves and our students.