Date: July 1, 2013
From: Ron Narode, VP Collective Bargaining
Bargaining Report #5, Bargaining Session #5, June 25, 2013
Good news follows sad news: Leanne Serbulo, UNST, has joined our team to replace Marcia Klotz who has left PSU for a position at the University of Arizona. Welcome Leanne!
Current Members: Ron Narode (VP for Bargaining), Mary King (President of PSU-AAUP), Bob Liebman, David Hansen, Anh Ly, Sy Adler, Leanne Serbulo, Phil Lesch (Executive Director, PSU-AAUP)
At our fifth Bargaining Session, June 25, 2013, the PSU-AAUP Bargaining Team presented a proposal for Article 31 (Insurance).
The Administration presented limited proposals for Article 17 (Academic Professionals) and Article 18 (Fixed-term and Research Faculty).
Here are summaries of the day’s negotiations:
Article 17 (Academic Professionals):
At the June 4 bargaining session, AAUP proposed that the current evaluation process remain intact and we stressed our openness to negotiating amendments based upon evidence-based reasons to modify long-standing PSU practices. We also proposed that notice for layoffs be lengthened so as to allow academic professionals time to locate a new position in a difficult job market. We proposed that any annual review that was deemed satisfactory or better would result in a 1% pay increase for academic professionals. We also proposed that unused vacation days be paid by the university instead of disappearing. Finally, we proposed that academic professionals should be permitted to work from home like other faculty during university closures. They ought not to suffer the loss of vacation or salary due to university closure unless they choose not to work from home.
The Administration chose to address only the question of evaluation, whereupon they presented a very terse revised proposal that omits any reference to the developmental aspects of evaluation that we currently have in our contract. While the Admin made modest steps in our direction, our team is not happy with this formulation and we intend to present a counter-proposal on July 2.
Article 18 (Fixed Term Faculty and Research Faculty):
At the June 4 bargaining session, AAUP proposed that the current evaluation process remain intact and we stressed our openness to negotiating amendments based upon evidence-based reasons to modify long-standing PSU practices. We also proposed that faculty should be awarded a 1% pay increase for each annual review that results in a satisfactory or better evaluation. We proposed to increase job-security for faculty who are offered a contract after three continuous years of service at 0.5 or more FTE, by offering them three-year rolling contracts. Upon satisfactory annual review, these faculty members would be offered a new 3-year contract. Our proposal redefined seniority status as having successfully taught for 3 continuous years, and we proposed that 90% of faculty with seniority be offered the 3-year rolling contract.
Again, the Administration chose to address only the question of evaluation, whereupon they presented a very terse revised proposal that omits any reference to the developmental aspects of evaluation that we currently have in our contract. While the Admin made modest steps in our direction, our team is not happy with this formulation and we will present a counter-proposal on July 2.
Article 31: (Insurance):
We proposed that the University pay 95% of our insurance premiums while we each pay the remaining 5% as we have this past year. The Administration would NOT sign this proposed article, preferring to wait until we begin our bargaining about salary and benefits later.
Next Tuesday, July 2, Bargaining Session #6 in Smith 338: Our current plans are to present:
Article 34 (Library Development Days): At the June 4 bargaining session, the Administration proposed several changes in how Library Development Days are apportioned and who does the apportioning. AAUP does not agree to this change, and following discussions with our Librarians, we will have a counter-proposal.
Article 19 (Professional Development and Support): AAUP will present changes in this article that increase the amounts for travel and professional development and the funding necessary for these programs.
Article 17 (Academic Professionals): AAUP will revise our previous proposal in an attempt to conclude our negotiations about evaluation and move toward the other provisions in the article that the Administration has not addressed yet.
Article 18 (Fixed Term and Research Faculty): AAUP will revise our previous proposal in an attempt to conclude our negotiations about evaluation and move toward the other provisions in the article that the Administration has not addressed yet.
New Article: (Academic Quality): AAUP has been developing a new article that articulates goals and steps for achieving and maintaining high levels of academic quality for our students.
Constructive Actions for Bargaining:
YOU CAN SUPPORT AAUP BARGAINING: Come and observe the bargaining process. Stay as long as you can. Bring your colleagues, please. Your presence makes a difference.
Upcoming Bargaining Sessions:
Tuesday, August 6, noon-3pm, MCB 650
Tuesday, September 10, noon-3pm, Smith 298