Category Archives: Florida Legislation

Legislation, Bargaining, and More

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Session Summaries:  Although the 2013 Florida legislative session ended more than a week ago, its implications are still unfolding, and Gov. Scott may still veto some items.  Here are some preliminary summaries that came out early-to-middle of last week:

FSU’s Government Relations Office:  http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/FSU-SessionSummary2013May6.pdf

Florida AFL-CIO:  http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/FLAFLCIO-SessionSummary2013May.pdf

Florida Education Association:  http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/FEA-SessionSummary2013May7.pdf

Bargaining Resumes this Wednesday between the UFF faculty team and the FSU BOT team.  The teams will negotiate salaries, benefits, evaluation, and a variety of other issues that are important to faculty.  We will provide periodic updates as negotiations proceed. Continue reading →

Report to Faculty Senate, April 24th, 2013

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By Professor Jack Fiorito, Senator and UFF-FSU Vice President

Consultation, Ballots, and Bargaining

Much has happened since our last meeting. Since the March Faculty Senate meeting we held a consultation with President Barron and Provost Stokes and other top administrators. The discussion was wide-ranging and cordial.

That same day we counted ballots in the UFF-FSU Chapter elections. As you probably know, Professor Jennifer Proffitt is our new President. I am pleased to be a Vice President once again.

Earlier this month, chief negotiators for the faculty and administration/trustees teams exchanged lists of contract provisions they intend to renegotiate this year. The lists are fairly lengthy. The teams will roll up their sleeves starting May 15th – negotiating new provisions to take effect July 1st or as soon as possible thereafter.

This Just In … April 2013 Faculty Poll Results

Continue reading →

Report to Faculty Senate, March 20th

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Collective Bargaining

Our current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires on June 30th … all of it!  In other words, we will be doing what’s called “full book” bargaining.  We will begin negotiations in May and preparations for bargaining are already underway.  Between now and then both sides have to decide which issues they want to renegotiate.

Please help us represent you and other FSU faculty by taking the UFF-FSU poll next month and encouraging your colleagues to do so.

Meanwhile, we are working through implementation of the changes agreed in the fall.  Implementation is among the issues on the agenda for a consultation this coming Monday with President Barron and Provost Stokes. Continue reading →

Report to Faculty Senate, Feb. 20th

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Our annual faculty poll’s question on parking was removed last spring over my objection.  In view of the earlier presentation and discussion and prospects for more parking problems, I plan to argue strongly for putting it back this spring.

We are NOT bargaining, for a change.  You will recall that we concluded bargaining in October.  Discussions on implementation and other matters are expected at two consultations with President Barron, Provost Stokes, and other FSU administration representatives next month.  Bargaining for 2013-14 and beyond is scheduled to begin later this spring.  We will be seeking your views on bargaining in our upcoming poll and in other ways. Continue reading →

Senator Montford on Higher Education Issues

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The UFF-FSU Chapter will be pleased to feature Senator Bill Montford as our special guest for a luncheon on Tuesday, February 26th at 12:30 in the Oglesby Union’s Florida Room.  Senator Montford will discuss issues facing higher education in the upcoming legislative session.  A postable flyer can be found at:

http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/MontfordFeb26.pdf

All FSU faculty members are welcome to attend.  A catered hot lunch will be available, free for UFF members and $12 for others.  If you plan to attend, please notify UFF-FSU Vice President Jennifer Proffitt (jennifer.proffitt@gmail.com).

Florida Supreme Court Retirement Ruling

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Thursday’s Florida Supreme Court ruling did more than dash the hopes of more than 620,000 public workers in the Florida Retirement System who wanted to see 3 percent of their pay returned.  It also opened the doors for lawmakers to make more changes that help the state’s bottom line but cost the school teachers, law-enforcement officers, county employees and state workers.

     From the Tallahassee Democrat, Jan. 18, 2013

Let’s build a stronger voice for faculty.  If you are not already a UFF member, please join!

Full text of the Democrat story:  http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/td20130118.pdf

The full text of the Florida Supreme Court 4-3 ruling, including dissenting opinion is available at:  http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/sc12-520.pdf

 

Happy New Year! (Updates, Revised)

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Some brief updates that may be of interest:

1.  Implementation of ratified changes to our UFF-FSU Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is proceeding.  At least some promotion raises, now at 12% and 15%, with back-pay to early August, were implemented in December, and at least some merit raises are slated for implementation by January 25th.  Implementation is also proceeding for other raises called for in the revised Article 23, but no information on dates has yet come to our attention (sorry).  Vice President McRorie sent a memo summarizing bylaw changes that will be needed in view of the new contract provisions on evaluation (Article 10) and for other reasons.

VP McRorie’s memo can be found at:

http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/McRorieBylawsMemo20121218.pdf

The ratified 2012 changes to our CBA can be found via the summary of changes at:

http://www.uff-fsu.org/art/BargainingUpdateNov2012.pdf

Continue reading →

Bargaining Update and Higher Ed Policies

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Bargaining Update: Recently the Administration/BOT and UFF faculty teams reached tentative agreement on new language for Article 10 on Performance Evaluation and on Winter Break. Key changes in Article 10 include a more detailed five-point performance rating scale sought by the Admin/BOT and a ban on forced distributions sought by the faculty team. Some of these provisions will require significant bylaws revisions — sorry. Continue reading →

Faculty Shared Governance

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“’Shared governance’ is much revered by faculty, but it adds vastly to administrative costs and stifles innovation and change.  Shared governance is a byproduct of academic tenure, where faculty members with lifetime appointments face little consequence from trying, often successfully, to obstruct changes that
might reduce their power or influence or increase their teaching  load.“

– Vedder and Denhart, Ten Principles of Higher Education Reform (2011, p. 16)

This background reading was circulated to meeting participants prior to last
week’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Higher Education meeting in St. Petersburg. Continue reading →

Faculty Address Higher Ed Task Force

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Task force gets report on higher ed challenges

By BRENT KALLESTAD, Associated Press

Published: Monday, June 11, 2012 at 6:29 p.m.

Two veteran faculty members cautioned a newly formed task force on Monday against changing the state’s higher education system simply because a businessman – in this case, Gov. Rick Scott – believes it needs to show more value. Continue reading →