UC-AFT Insider May 2016

University Council-AFT Insider                    
May 11, 2016

In this issue:

• UC-AFT Secures Professional Development Funding at UCLA
• Librarian Bargaining Set to Begin—Salary and Professional Development Funding on the Table
• Save the Date: Statewide Writing Program Collaboration July 29
• AFT National Convention Nominations and COCAL Conference

UC-AFT Secures Professional Development Funding at UCLA
The Professional Development Fund at UCLA is finally open for proposals! After months of struggle, the campus administration agreed to establish the committee and release the funds with no strings attached. This is a huge success for all the Local 1990 members who demanded fair and respectful treatment and for all the local members who will benefit from the professional development fund this year. In this post on the UC-AFT website, Local 1990 President, Mia McIver, describes the contractual and organizing effort mounted by the Local to get the funds released.

Librarian Bargaining Set to Begin—Salary and Professional Development Funding on the Table
Contract negotiations between UC-AFT Librarians and the University are set to begin in late May or early June.  Each side is limited to opening two articles during these negotiations. The University has chosen not to open any articles, while UC-AFT members decided to open Article 13 Salary and Article 3 Professional Activities and Development. Despite improvements in our last contract, UC librarian salaries still lag behind their counterparts in other California institutions and agencies. Also, a recent poll of our librarian members indicates a need for significant increases in professional development funding to support the core professional responsibilities of UC librarians.

Save the Date: Statewide Writing Program Collaboration July 29
On July 29 in Burbank, UC-AFT will hold a one-day collaborative meeting of lecturers from writing programs on all UC campuses. The aim of the workshop is to use campus specific data covering a variety of metrics to identify best practices as well as challenges faced by writing program faculty. Once we have data on workload, pedagogy, leadership and organization, we can produce recommendations and plans for a future campaign to improve our working conditions and our programs. More detailed announcements and invitations to help coordinate will circulate soon. If you are interested in helping organize the meeting, contact Roxi Power (UCD, UCB, UCSC and UCM) and Jon Keeperman (UCSD, UCR, UCI, UCLA and UCSB).

AFT National Convention Nominations and COCAL Conference
The American Federation of Teachers Annual Convention will be held in Minneapolis Minnesota July 18-21. UC-AFT members can nominate themselves or fellow union members to serve as a delegate. Delegate nominations must be submitted to Miki Goral no later than Monday May 30.

The Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor will hold its twelfth biennial conference at the University of Alberta in Edmonton August 5-7. This is an excellent opportunity for members to interact with a diverse group of contingent/adjunct/precarious higher education faculty and staff from across North America. More detail is available on the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3911 website.

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The University Council – American Federation of Teachers is an affiliate of the California Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO.