In every university classroom, there exists a silent pact between teacher and student: the pursuit of truth. Yet, behind the polished blackboards and beneath the stacks of readings and grades due by midnight lies another truth that is often obscured: the fact that the teacher, despite academic titles and lofty discourse, is also a worker. And like any worker under the sun, the teacher is vulnerable when standing alone, but steadfast when united with peers.
This is the foundation of the need for a university teachers’ union: a faculty union.
We often view unionism in the country through a narrow lens: merely as a reaction to oppressive management or a weapon against a stingy employer. But what if the university administration is generous, humane, and willing to listen? This is where the deep essence of a union comes into play. A union is not established to be a perpetual adversary; it exists to institutionalize humane working conditions. Humane working conditions—reasonable teaching loads, sufficient time for family and research, health protection, and job security—should not be regarded as a “gift” or a privilege born of the benevolence of a few in power. Human benevolence is subject to change; leaders are replaced. The union’s goal is to ensure that these rights become a permanent part of the system, regardless of whether the next leader is kind or strict.
Oftentimes, in response to teachers’ desire to have a voice, the administration proposes the establishment of a Labor-Management Council (LMC). At first glance, this appears to be a considerate move, a forum where management and faculty can engage in dialogue.
But in academic practice, the LMC often becomes a mere facade of democracy. It turns into a scripted performance where teachers are listened to but not truly heard. Ultimately, the LMC remains toothless; it operates under the direction and final say of Human Resources (HR). By its very nature, HR is loyal to the corporation and the university’s bottom line, not to the well-being of the professors. The LMC offers only the illusion of representation, whereas a union provides genuine power, serving as a legal entity with the right to engage as an equal rather than as a supplicant. Say that again in Filipino:
May karapatang humarap hindi bilang sumasamo, kundi bilang kapantay.
For a long time, many of our professors have lived under the illusion of being special. Because they wield the chalk and hold MA and PhD, it is as if they are forbidden from voicing grievances regarding their livelihood and exhaustion. Yet, this romanticization of the profession, the notion that teaching is merely a vocation demanding endless sacrifice, often fuels burnout and chronic depletion.
Having a union is an acknowledgment that before teachers become experts, they are, first and foremost, human beings. They need breathing room, an environment that is safe and conducive to their growth, and the assurance that their contributions are valued in tangible ways.
Beyond financial considerations, the union serves as the true bastion of academic freedom. In a rapidly changing society, a lone teacher speaking against the tide can easily be silenced. He could be gradually stripped of his teaching load or publicly humiliated through bureaucratic policies designed by HR to maintain order. Yet, when the voice of a single teacher becomes the voice of the entire union, his freedom becomes the freedom of all. The union stands as a shield against the oppressive hand of censorship, whether it originates from outside or from within the university itself.
We cannot separate the essence of a union from the essence of a university. That word is derived from “universitas,” meaning “a community of scholars.” Without a union, governance becomes top-down, a mandate imposed from above, regardless of how well-intentioned the leadership may be. Establishing a union reclaims this space, ensuring that the voices of those on the front lines of education become formal partners in shaping curricula and setting policies. Through a collective bargaining agreement, the benevolence of a “generous employer” transforms into a formal, legal covenant between equal parties.
Some still harbor fears, arguing that unionism merely introduces conflict into an otherwise harmonious relationship. Yet, true peace is not the absence of noise but the presence of justice and balance. A union is not the adversary of good administration; rather, it serves as its most honest mirror and there is genuine partnership in it. When teachers are assured that their well-being rests not on whims, luck, or superficial consultations such as those in LMCs, but on a solid, binding agreement, they can devote their intellect to their students with greater wholeheartedness.
Ultimately, the creation of a faculty union is both a literary and a historical act: it is the writing of our own story in our own words. This serves as proof that teachers are not merely chroniclers of history, but active participants in shaping a humane future.
For both inside and outside the classroom, the most important lesson we can impart to the next generation is not found in the pages of a book, but in the strength of our convictions and the respect we show for our own humanity when we are together.
Scriptural Basis: Isaiah 1:17: “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” This includes learning from others. And many more like Proverbs 31:8-9; Micah 6:8; Leviticus 19:13; Luke 10:7; James 5:4; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; and Galatians 6:2.
As for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
DC Alviar
Professor DC Alviar is a tenured associate professor at National University (NU) Manila and a steering committee member of the Philippine International Studies Organization (PHISO). He has contributed to NU's community extension initiatives that introduced the five disciplines of a learning organization (Senge, 1990) to communities within a local government unit. He writes and edits local reports for Mega Scene. He graduated with Master of Development Communication (MDC) and Doctor of Communication (DComm) degrees from the University of the Philippines (UP) Open University in Los Baños and was awarded with a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) SIKAP grant. He previously served as editor-in-chief of The Adamson News and his high school publication Ang Ugat.
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
