THE VERMONT SUPREME Court has ruled that the University of Vermont did nothing wrong when it failed to reappoint a professor that had strong ties to the school’s newly formed faculty union.

Dawn Saunders taught economics as a visiting professor at UVM from 1995 to the spring of 2003. She was active in organizing the faculty to unionize, and was a member of the negotiating team that hammered out the union’s first contract in February of 2003. University officials opposed the union’s formation, and that winter did not offer her a new appointment for the following school year, ending her employment.

Saunders charged that her dismissal was retaliation for her union involvement, and grieved the university’s action to the Vermont Labor Relation’s Board. The board ruled in favor of the university. Saunders appealed to the Supreme Court, which in September upheld the board’s ruling.

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