February 3, 2010. Administration claims “philosophical” objection to faculty teaching in summer, Says professors should use summer months for research, BOT and administration remain tight-fisted on salaries

We continue to try to reach an agreement on summer teaching. The administration’s new position is that cuts to faculty summer appointments were not entirely driven by budget cuts. They have a “philosophical” objection to faculty teaching in the summer and believe faculty should use this time for research activities.

Faculty cannot expect any raises based on research activities in the nine month contract period (let alone in the summer) since there is still no money on the table for merit or any other salary increase.

We have, however, reached tentative agreements on three other articles. Article 15, Tenure and Permanent Status, remains unchanged. In Article 17, Leaves, we have agreed to their request that faculty on a 9 month contract use sick leave in four hour increments. This is in response to administrative complaints that faculty do not use sick leave appropriately. They would like to encourage us to stay home when we are sick. We have also reached a tentative agreement on Article 16, Job Abandonment. An employee is considered to have abandoned his or her job if absent without authorized leave for seven or more consecutive calendar days — unless the absence is for reasons beyond the control of the employee and the employee notifies the University as soon as practicable.

An article-by-article description of additional proposed CBA changes in ongoing bargaining is provided below.

In solidarity,

Sharmila Vishwasrao
for the UFF-FAU Collective Bargaining Team

BARGAINING REPORT BY ARTICLE 1/08/10

PREAMBLE  :  Unchanged, Tentatively agreed (TA)

ARTICLE 1:  BOT proposed no changes, UFF holding off until end of negotiations.

ARTICLE  2:  Unchanged ,  TA

ARTICLE  3: Unchanged, TA

ARTICLE  4:  BOT proposes listing 39 instances of reserved management rights including changing teaching time/prep time, reorganization, days in semester, semester system etc, unless specified in contract.  1/6/10.

ARTICLE 5:  BOT proposed defining misconduct as failure to uphold Academic Responsibility, UFF will not accept,  proposed no change.  UFF countered with grievability for failure by BOT (11/19).  Admin agrees to grievability – UFF under advisement.

ARTICLE 6:  BOT proposed no changes, UFF proposed addition of ‘sexual orientation’ among non-discrimination items along with race, gender, etc.  BOT agreed to include ‘sexual orientation’.  TA 12/17/09

ARTICLE 7:  No substantive changes, TA

ARTICLE 8

ARTICLE 9:  BOT proposal  11/19/09. No substantial changes.  We are holding until Article 8 is decided.

ARTICLE 10:  At issue, who is responsible for annual evaluation, should UFF activities be part of annual evaluation, process of disputing annual evaluation.  Mostly agreed, UFF will counter with minor language changes. 12/17/09.

ARTICLE 11:  No change, TA

ARTICLE 12:  BOT proposed unchanged.

ARTICLE 13: BOT proposes substantial changes.  1/6/09.

ARTICLE 14:  No changes.  TA. 12/7/09

ARTICLE 15.  No substantial changes.  Continuing multiyear removed from title (they do not exist) TA 12/17/009

ARTICLE 16:  Job considered abandoned after 7 consecutive calendar days of unauthorized leave.  (Used to be 10 days) TA 12/17/09.

ARTICLE 17:  9 month faculty must take sick leave in 4 hour blocks.  They think this will induce faculty to use sick leave appropriately.  We are skeptical but agreed.  TA 12/17/09.

ARTICLE 18:  Administration wants “Traditional Works of scholarship and Instructional works to be made available to, and maintained by the University for administrative, educational, research or other pedagogical purposes”.  UFF response only for administrative purposes (11/19).  Admin agrees to UFF counter.  New language in 18.4 (b)”Traditional Works of Scholarship and Instructional Works are the property of the Creator, but such works must be made available to, and maintained by the University for administrative purposes.  The University shall compensate the employee for any costs incurred.”  TA on 11/19/09.

ARTICLE 19:  BOT proposal is unchanged, UFF will propose changes.  BOT agrees that faculty without summer appointments can teach at other educational institutions, UFF will counter 1/6/10.

ARTICLE 20:  BOT has proposed substantial changes 12/7/09.  UFF is considering.

ARTICLE 21:  BOT proposes unchanged. (Lydia will check).  TA 12/7/09

ARTICLE 22:  BOT proposes unchanged.  UFF proposes additional full pay sabbaticals and .75% increase on half pay sabbaticals. (11/19).

ARTICLE 23:  Salaries.  UFF proposed bargaining starting salaries, 2.5% ATB, 1% merit, 1% equity, no discretion, step increases for FAUS.  Admin suggest on 11/19/09 that BOT is not inclined to give raises this year.  BOT proposes 0 raise 12/7/09.  Wants limited discretion for counteroffers.

ARTICLE 24:  BOT 12/7/09.  Proposes language changes for phased retirement.  Employees will be re hired as adjunct but may retain pre retirement working title.

ARTICLE 25:  Removed.  Remains blank as placeholder, TA

ARTICLE 26:  No changes.  TA

ARTICLE 27:  BOT proposes removal of one phrase, “No employee, shall as a result of the establishment of a level of rights or benefits in this Agreement, suffer a loss or diminution of any such rights or benefits for which otherwise eligible.”  This is apparent hangover from blue book where different universities may have offered benefits which do not exist in FAU-BOT CBA.  Advise?  UFF proposes unchanged (11/5)

ARTICLE 28:  BOT proposes receipt of notice be within 3 days of mailing.  UFF

ARTICLE 29:  29.2 removed because it is duplicated in 28.2.  TA (11/19/09)

ARTICLE 30:  Only dates changed, TA

ARTICLE 31:  BOT proposes unchanged 12/7/09.  UFF will withhold until end.

ARTICLE 32:  BOT proposes, “University” means the administration/management of the Florida Atlantic University, UFF will wait to see if more definition changes are warranted.

APPENDIX A:  BOT proposed unchanged, UFF proposed addition of Biomed faculty. (UFF counter with addition of Biomed 11/5)
APPENDIX B:  BOT proposed unchanged, we will clean up some old language. TA 11/19/09

APPENDIX F:   Rescinded TA

See related posts:

2009 Collective Bargaining Survey Results

Collective Bargaining Update December 16, 2009