Update on Bargaining and Contract

Dear Colleague,

The FSU and Administration have formally begun bargaining for a successor agreement to the 2014-17 contract (final language for the 14-17 contract has finally been completed; you can see the contract at the FSU website). We have also concluded settlement talks on the previous Article 21 contract conversion issues. (an update can be seen here; see here for final Article 21 language as well as the memorandum of understanding concerning the Article 21 settlement).

The members of the FSU bargaining team are:

Caroline Coscia, Senior Lecturer, Political Science

John Hess, Senior Lecturer II, English/American Studies

Larry Kaye, Senior Lecturer II, Philosophy

Marlene Kim, Professor, Economics

Askold Melnyczuk, Associate Professor, English

Tina Mullins, Librarian III

Staff Assistance:

Lorenzo Nencioli, FSU Membership Coordinator

Mickey Gallagher, MTA Consultant

We have met with the Administration a few times and have given them proposals on the following:

1.Class Size- We are proposing that any increase in class sizes or class size minimums must have a corresponding decrease in work in other areas of unit member responsibility such that the overall workload does not increase.

2.CAPS- We are proposing to increase Summer/Winter compensation rates to keep them in line with Fall/Spring rates; we are proposing clarifying language to maintain seniority rights for Summer/Winter faculty; we are proposing to codify in contract language CAPS’ compensation practices for both over enrolled and under enrolled courses; and we are proposing new language on fall/spring CAPS course assignments that is in line with the (new) Article 21.

3.Difference in Paid Leave (i.e. Sabbatical Gap)- We are proposing an additional form of sabbatical for tenure track faculty that would allow a teaching free semester every 3 years.

4.NTT Service and Scholarship- We are proposing full-time appointments for certain NTT (possibly Senior Lecturers and/or Senior Lecturer II’s) that would include a 3/3 teaching load plus 25% scholarship and/or service. And we are seeking to clarify the status of service for all other NTT faculty.

5.Research Intensive Semester- We are proposing one research intensive semester for pre-tenure track faculty (to be achieved via the granting of additional course releases).

6.Late Career Options- We have proposed late career possibilities for tenure track faculty including phased retirement options and partial retirement options.

7.Longevity Pay- We are proposing to increase the amount of the payment (a payment based on years of service given to unit members upon retirement)

We intend to negotiate over a number of other subjects including distance learning, clinical nursing non-tenure track faculty, librarians, as well as additional NTT issues (proposals on these subjects will be formulated in conjunction with the bargaining survey which we expect to send to members shortly).

The Administration has indicated to us that, due to the UMB budget crisis, they cannot consider proposals that will have a budgetary impact. We received and anticipate continuing push back to the bulk of our proposals. Once we get a clearer picture of exactly where Admin stands in this regard we will engage with members on how to proceed. We will be meeting with the Administration between now and the start of the Spring semester and we will continue to update members on the progress of negotiations.