<p>Building on research related to unionization and academic freedom, the purpose of this article is to examine the potential of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) to provide the conditions necessary for the practice of academic freedom. We draw on theoretical perspectives that situate academic freedom as both an individual free speech right and a collective right to self-regulation, as a condition of employment in the neoliberal institution, and as form of power. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) provides a lens to examine how the language of CBAs shapes power relationships related to academic freedom. Our analysis shows that CBAs both reflect and shape the power dynamics surrounding academic freedom, with contractual mechanisms such as shared governance provisions, access to information, and grievance processes ranging widely in their strength across institutions. We also find that the clarity of contractual language and the degree of protection against precarity significantly influence whether individual faculty can meaningfully exercise their academic freedom. Finally, we provide actionable implications for faculty with and without collective bargaining rights on how to leverage institutional documents, governance structures, and collective action to safeguard academic freedom.</p>