MOA Updates

Members ratified the MOA on protections for unvaccinated PSU employees. We should acknowledge, however, that this MOA is viewed with some ambivalence among our members, given the large number of NO votes (23%). The Executive Council’s concern was to prevent the termination or discipline of employees who are unvaccinated but otherwise remain in compliance with the university’s vaccination policy. That policy allows for medical exemptions when the vaccine would put someone at medical risk, as documented by a physician. Non-medical exemptions may also be considered after completion of a covid-19 vaccine educational module. The EC’s view was that the union should work to change the policy, if warranted, rather than fail to protect members who have complied with it. Thus, the MOA retains our right to bargain any future vaccine policy or guidelines. Nevertheless, the ambivalence was evident in the ratification vote, and we heard you.

Three Errata MOAs made needed corrections to the CBA: to align supervisor response times to requests for remote work (Article 24) and flexible work schedules (Article 17) (MOA #2); to update the salary tables in Article 30 (MOA #4); and to insert program-description language omitted from LOA #2 on research bridge funding (MOA #3).