Unit 18 Bargaining Update #3 8-1-12

Colleagues:

I write with an update from our last two bargaining sessions (in late June at UCI and then again today in Oakland). I’m afraid that the news is once again rather boring. We continue to work with the non-economic articles that are open—that is, Layoff, Grievance, and the Process for initial Continuing Appointments (formerly Article 7B). While there is some progress in our discussions, there are no agreements.

As you will recall, the Union opened the layoff article, in order to improve the notice period required for reductions in time (i.e. less than a total layoff) as well as to increase the period of rehire rights for those who have been laid off.  We have gotten the University to move closer to our positions, but there is still a gap between the sides. The reason that a gap yet remains is that the University is trying to get language in the continuing appointment process article to clarify what its obligations are at various points in the review process, should instructional need disappear before a continuing appointment is granted. We have shown the University’s team that they already have almost everything that they need in existing contract language, and are not inclined to change the article at this time, absent changes in the layoff article that we think are helpful to our members. In short, we are having useful conversations about these two articles, neither of which is likely going to change all that much, if at all.

We have not yet begun to discuss the economic package, especially since the University is concerned that there will be no increase in state funds in November. We do, however, plan to do some analysis of how to change the merit review structure in order to get more money to lecturers and have it be a budget savings for the University.  That analysis will be discussed at our next meeting, which is on 22 August at UCI. I’ll write again after that with a further update.

Meanwhile, feel free to contact your local field rep with questions and comments.  For those on the quarter campuses, I hope your summers are going well. And for those on the semester campuses, I hope that the last weeks of summer holiday are restful.

Alan Karras

Chief Negotiator, UC-AFT (NSF)

Senior Lecturer, International and Area Studies, Berkeley