The American professoriate and the movement toward unionization

This paper examines the movement away from professionalization and toward unionization by the American professoriate. A content analysis of the bi-annual addresses of the thrity-two past presidents of the American Association of University Professors demonstrates that the approach taken by this organization which has been central in representing the professional interests of the professoriate has been inadequate. The fact that academics are not independent professionals but carry out their research and pedagogical functions in bureaucratic structures makes their quest for autonomy particularly problematic. The traditional stance taken by the leadership of the American Association of University Professors seems to ignore the obstacles, e.g. the distribution of power in organizations, in the path of attaining full professional status. Consequently, the professoriate has not only fallen considerably short of its aspirations and is beset with a number of problems, e.g. continual violations of academic freedom, but increasing numbers have begun looking to labor unions to further their quest for professional status.