The voices of Duquesne University’s cadre of nontenurable faculty were finally heard this week, in a 50-9 vote thumpingly in favor of union representation by the United Steelworkers. It may be years, however, before faculty and their representatives ever actually begin negotiations. That’s because the administration has joined other Roman Catholic-affiliated institutions, right-wing and Republican party operatives, and a reactionary federal appellate court judge in attempting to gut national labor law guaranteeing broad freedoms of association to its faculty employees.

Of particular importance: One of this year’s major initiatives by the National Labor Relations Board was to newly publicize and emphasize its role in safeguarding the protected concerted activity of nonunionized employees, including the right to publicize abusive workplace terms and conditions via social media—without…

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