EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Your UAOSU bargaining team and the Administration team met for a day-long session (9:00-5:00) on Thursday, October 31 in Cascade Hall. In anticipation of the long session, your team came prepared with three articles and two letters of agreement. The Administration team arrived with no counter proposals and needed the first hour and twenty minutes to do their homework. We proposed counters on: Position Description and Workload, LOA on Exceptional Service, Grievance, Non-Discrimination & Respectful Workplace, and LOA on GAI. After needing additional time to prepare, the Administration brought a counter on LOA on Caregiving, Non-Discrimination and Respectful Workplace, Academic Classification and Rank, Health, Safety, Facilities, and Work Site. Despite the slow start to the day, we were able to ultimately come to a tentative agreement on Discipline and Termination, the LOA on GAI, and Non-Discrimination and Respectful Workplace. We still await meaningful compensation articles.
As you know, our graduate worker colleagues with the Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE) went on strike yesterday, November 12. They have been engaged with difficult contract negotiations with the Administration for over a year now and after several meditation sessions declared impasse in negotiations. As the lack of progress of CGE’s negotiations makes clear, the Administration has been unwilling to offer fair proposals on compensation and contract length, yet another example of the Administration’s unwillingness to share prosperity widely. For more guidance regarding potential impacts on faculty please go here.
UPCOMING SESSIONS & EVENTS
Use the links below to add these to your calendar and learn more about the upcoming events.
- Thurs Nov 14 – Bargaining – CANCELED DUE TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH CGE
- Fri Nov 15 4-6pm Common Fields – Odd Friday – drop in, biweekly happy hour
- Wed Nov 20 10-11am MU Thought Lab (215) & Zoom – Instructor Promotion Discussion
- Thurs Nov 21 9am-5pm Cascade Hall 135 – Bargaining
- Tues Nov 26 1-4pm Cascade Hall 135 – Bargaining
- Thurs Dec 5 12-1pm on Zoom – FRA & A Promotion Discussion
FULL UPDATE
The day began by both sides signing a Tentative Agreement (TA) on Discipline and Termination which was agreed upon at the last bargaining session. Beyond that, the Administration initially came with nothing else to offer for the full day session. Your team came prepared with Position Description and Workload, LOA on Exceptional Service, Grievance, Non-Discrimination and Respectful Workplace, and LOA on GAI. Despite having two weeks since our last session to prepare, the Administration did not offer any completed items and requested a caucus to get work done. After 80 minutes, they returned with a counter to the Letter of Agreement on Caregiving. After expressing our disappointment in the Administration’s level of preparation and productivity, we proceeded to present our counter proposals, and ultimately made some progress.
Letter of Agreement on Caregiving. We had proposed a joint committee to not only develop meaningful proposals, but also have $500,000 to begin implementing the recommendations. The administration was fine with another committee but again refused to add any funds. We don’t believe we need yet another toothless committee.
Position Description and Workload. We presented a counter proposal where we agreed to a few small changes, and added language for transparency when adjustments are made to the position description. We reproposed language ensuring that workload guidelines address all course types in a college or unit. We also brought back language regarding clarity and consistency in the weight given to courses, procedures for course caps, and summer allocation of teaching assignments.
Letter of Agreement on Exceptional Service. We proposed a LOA for Exceptional Service in recognition of the substantial informal labors performed by faculty of color, women faculty and faculty from other members of underrepresented communities that goes above and beyond heavy formal service duties. A joint committee will work together to identify meaningful mechanisms by which each college and Cascades Campus might recognize such efforts within specified timelines. Discussion continues on minor word clarification.
Grievance. We put forth a counter proposal on Grievance Procedure. We have some agreed-upon language and we continue to advocate that the use of academic judgment should not be arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory. Furthermore, when a grievant chooses to not be represented by the union, we request that UAOSU receives appropriate summary documentation to ensure the process comports with our contract.
Non-Discrimination and Respectful Workplace. Our counter proposed this article title and both sides have agreed to add ‘Respectful Workplace’ to the title as it reflects language in the article and a shared vision. Administration acknowledged that bullying is included in this article as a form of misconduct and subject to our grievance process. After a brief internal discussion, the Administration accepted our negotiated language, and we were able to tentatively agree to this article.
After a long caucus, the Administration brought counter proposals on Classification and Rank, and Health, Safety, Facilities, and Work Site, and we presented a LOA on GAI.
Classification and Rank. The Administration presented a counter proposal with some accepted agreed-upon language related to recategorization and reclassification. Negotiation continues on the use of ‘Fixed-Term’ as a classification type given our tentative agreement on the use of ‘Continuous Appointment’ for non-tenured faculty past first promotion. We continue to offer language to ensure that work routinely done by faculty should be done by people in our bargaining unit. The administration has continued to reject this language.
Health, Safety, Facilities, and Work Site. The Administration brought a counter proposal that accepted some of our proposed language regarding notification of safety and potentially hazardous conditions and the use of pesticides. However, they declined to accept language related to flexible work arrangements, arguing that such language is overly procedural. Their refusal to accept this language is frustrating, given that much of it was taken nearly verbatim from their own policy, and reflects the product of our negotiations during covid.
LOA: Joint Committee on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI). We brought a streamlined counter proposal that acknowledges that GAI poses both unknown opportunities and threats and creates a joint committee to discuss potential impacts related to working conditions and our contract. Both parties tentatively agreed to this LOA.
The bargaining session scheduled for tomorrow, November 14, has been canceled by the Administration team due to a mediation session with CGE. Our next scheduled session is 9am-5pm on Thursday November 21 (Cascade Hall 135). Even if you can only drop by for half an hour, your attendance matters: show the administration that faculty are watching this process.
You can find a list of the currently scheduled bargaining sessions, as well as read our updates and proposals at uaosu.org/bargaining.
Our power in negotiations comes from all of us working together as a united faculty. Becoming a member is the first step in supporting your bargaining team and securing a strong second contract. You can become a member online by going to uaosu.org/join.
In solidarity,
Lori Cramer and Your Bargaining Team