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The Northwestern University Non-Tenure Eligible Faculty Union of SEIU Local 73 has encountered even more pushback from the university regarding its validity and bargaining power. Although the union held a certification vote in 2016 in which 25 ballots were contested and it was found that those in favor outnumbered those against the union’s representation, Northwestern University continues to challenge the legitimacy of the union and refuses to sit down at the bargaining table with union representatives. In the face of these relentless obstacles, union leaders decided to formally file a charge against the university administration with the NLRB, citing its refusal to even acknowledge the union regardless of its legitimate certification as a violation of labor law. With nearly 700 faculty within the union’s membership, the union hopes to establish a reasonably high standard for non-tenure staff given the wide variation between existing contracts.