The BOT and the UFF teams met last Wednesday for the first bargaining session of the year. After agreeing to ground rules, the teams laid out their proposals. Each team is allowed to reopen two in addition to Article 23 Salaries.
The UFF-FSU reopened Article 17 Leaves and Article 24 Benefits. We proposed that instead of one paid leave of up to six months to cover the birth or adoption of a child, Article 17 should be expanded to allow faculty two six-month leaves in order to care for family members (not necessarily children). We proposed that Article 24 provide an increase in paid life insurance, a floor under insurance and retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement for dependents, and a transportation allowance.
The BOT reopened Article 8 Appointment and Article 32 Definitions. They put forward two proposals regarding Article 8: that departments be allowed to place a cap on summer teaching pay and that the length of Specialized Faculty contracts for top-rank SF be shortened by a year, thereby allowing one year’s less notice for non-reappointment. In regard to Article 32, they proposed narrowing the definition of “continuous service,” a definition that had been crucial in an arbitration case the UFF-FSU recently won for a UFF member.
Bargaining resumes this week on Wednesday, March 7, at 2:00 in the FSU Training Center. Faculty members are welcome.
The key to a strong Collective Bargaining Agreement is a strong membership base, so if you are not a member, please join! https://uff-fsu.org/wp/join/
All best,
Irene Padavic and Scott Hannahs, Co-Chief Negotiators, UFF-FSU
