Today, the PSU administration has officially begun issuing Article 22 layoff notices to our dedicated colleagues. If you received one of these notices today, we want you to hear this loud and clear: We are fighting for your job. Below is our plan, and what you need to do right now.
IF YOU RECEIVED A LAYOFF NOTICE TODAY
- DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING. Do not agree to any terms, waivers, or severance packages without speaking to union leadership first.
- CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY WITH EMERGENT QUESTIONS. Union Leadership has given assurance by OAA that we will receive concurrent layoff notices when the provision plan is released. Please reach out to union leadership with immediate questions, concerns, and requests for more information. Expect a variety of communications with updates and options for meetings to review specific aspects of what’s coming ahead coming from different portfolios.
- As we’re moving forward to fight back against the cuts, please consider your capacity as a member to join our committee work and reach out to the VPs listed above for more information about joining ongoing committee work and what this might entail at this time. Especially as we’re reaching a critical time period requiring all hands on deck.
HOW WE ARE FIGHTING BACK
- ALTERNATIVES TO LAYOFFS: The CBT will support units as they develop their alternative plans. We have and will continue to provide unit support tools, advice about what information to include, and meeting support (if requested) [Wednesday, May 27th to Thursday, June 11th]
- WEAPONIZING THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS: The Grievance Committee is scrutinizing Admin’s financial and programmatic justifications line by line.
- ENFORCING RECALL RIGHTS: For every notice issued, we are aggressively documenting and enforcing your contractual recall rights. If a position opens up, we will ensure the administration is legally forced to offer it back to our laid-off members first.
- DEMAND TO BARGAIN: If President Cudd accepts all or part of any unit’s alternate plan, the CBT will issue a Demand to Bargain, meet with impacted units, and negotiate MOAs about the impacts of the plan
- RETRENCHMENT HEARING: You have the right to aRetrenchment Hearing (See this listed out on Article 23 of our Collective Bargaining Agreement). These must be filed within 15 calendar days of receiving your notice of layoff. Our Grievance Committee will support you through this process.
While these are currently set for filing 15 days from the layoff notices pursuant to Article 23, the Collective Bargaining Team (CBT) is in the process of negotiating with the University to allow for 15 calendar days after the President releases her final plan. The plan released today is the provisional plan. We will have more information to update potential changed timelines early-mid next week.
ATTEND AN UPCOMING PSU-AAUP MEETING
- Tuesday, 5/19, 12:40: Stop the Layoffs Rally for all members and campus community, Urban Plaza – RSVP
- More actions to follow
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
- DOCUMENT EVERYTHING: If you hear administrators discussing the rationale for these layoffs, or if you see adjuncts or non-union staff being hired to do the work of a laid-off AAUP member–our work–report it to the Grievance Committee immediately.
- STAND WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES: If you did not receive a notice, YOUR JOB NOW IS TO DEFEND THOSE WHO DID. Reach out to your department peers. Wear your AAUP gear. Make it clear that an injury to one of us is an injury to all. Show up to rallies and all member meetings.
We are not going to let them dismantle our university without a fight. Administration needs us to be fractured, demoralized, and quiet. Our strongest weapon against these layoffs is our collective solidarity.
In unwavering solidarity,
Elected PSU-AAUP Officers listed in alphabetical order,
Karlyn Adams Wiggins, VP for Legislative & Political Action, Psychology
Trevino Brings Plenty, Councilor at Large, Native American Student and Community Center
Madeline Frisk, Councilor at Large, Student Activities and Leadership
Aaron Golub, Councilor at Large, Urban Studies
Ellis Hews, VP of Membership & Organizing, Institute on Aging
Isabel Jaén Portillo, Councilor at Large, World Language & Literature
Jamie Jones, Treasurer, School of Public Health
Karen Kennedy, Councilor at Large, Undergraduate Advising Resource Center
Jennifer Kerns, Councilor at Large, History
Bill Knight, President, English
Jessica Rodriguez-JenKins, VP of Grievances & Academic Freedom, School of Social Work
Andrew Santa Lucia, VP of Communications & Public Relations, Architecture
Leanne Serbulo, VP of Bargaining, University Studies