The FSU Board of Trustees (BOT) team and the UFF-FSU team, along with 21 faculty visitors, met on Wednesday for a discussion of Layoff and Recall, Tapered Employment, and the Tuition Scholarship for Dependents/Spouses.
Before the meeting, the BOT team let us know they were pulling their last Layoffs proposal to work on it more, so the UFF took that opportunity to submit a newer version of ours for them to respond to. We are trying to hasten bargaining, as we know faculty are worried about layoffs and would like to see a resolution. Our new Layoff proposal offers a definition of “Layoff unit” similar to the existing contract language, and the teams engaged in a thoughtful discussion of “areas” and “programs” and will work together to clarify this crucial language.
The BOT put the kibosh on the UFF’s Tapered Employment proposal that had sought to enhance the financial position of faculty over 60 working less than full-time. They stood by their counter proposal, which offers no advantages over what is already available.
We have good news to report! The BOT countered a UFF Benefits proposal with a Memorandum of Understanding about the Tuition Scholarship for Dependents/Spouses. This counter accepted our proposal to allow the scholarship to extend to spouses (before it had only been children) and to include graduate credit hours (before it had been only undergraduate). This is an important family-friendly benefit, and we are eager to sign (with small alterations). We’re withholding flat-out enthusiasm, however, just in case the BOT seeks to link implementation to unpalatable changes in other articles on the table.
The two teams will meet again this Friday, July 10, at 9:00 for “impact bargaining,” where we will discuss the UFF proposal for mitigating any negative impacts on faculty of the University’s response to the Covid-19 emergency.
We will meet for “regular” bargaining next Wednesday, July 15, at 2:00.
Both bargaining sessions are open to faculty, and if you would like to attend please respond to this message and we will send you the links when we receive them. Please try to come, as faculty attendance strengthens our position.
The UFF is also hosting another forum to answer members’ questions this Friday, July 10, at 5:00. The UFF-FSU President Matthew Lata has sent the link, but members who need a reminder are free to write us.
The key to a strong Collective Bargaining Agreement is a strong membership base, so if you are not a member, please join! There has never been a more important time for us to stand together. https://uff-fsu.org/wp/join/
All best,
Irene Padavic and Scott Hannahs, Co-Chief Negotiators, UFF-FSU
