UCB Foreign Language Workload Reduction

This page has been established to provide information about UCB's proposal for a one-year delay in implementation of the negotiated workload reduction in foreign languages.

After the new contract was ratified, UCB protested that they had not been informed by UCOP during negotiations of the new, lower workload for language lecturers. The campus requested a one-year delay in implementation of the reduced workload in order to minimize impacts to the programs and lecturers. The union held two meetings with lecturers to discuss the delay proposal and conducted a poll. The poll results were evenly split, with a slight majority voting against the delay. When it became clear that the lecturers on the campus were split on the issue, the UC-AFT statewide executive board voted to authorize a formal vote of the affected lecturers to make a final decision on whether or not to accept the delay.

The vote will be conducted using an online voting booth Thursday April 28 - Sunday May 1. Unique login credentials will be sent to all language lecturers via e-mail when the poll opens on April 28. Only union members can vote. It you are not yet a member of UC-AFT, you can join the union here: https://leadernet.aft.org/webform/uc-aft-member-enrollment

The links below provide the new workload contract language, arguments in favor and against the delay written by your colleagues in the languages at Berkeley, the proposals and counters from UC and UC-AFT for a delay in implementation, and a request for information submitted by the union. UC-AFT has requested budget information for each department. With the exception of last years budget, the University will not be able to provide the requested information prior to the vote.

New Contract Language

Article 24 Instructional Workload (ratified February 29, 2016)

Arguments in Favor of Delay

Why We Still Say--Please Vote Yes to Delay

An Argument to Delay Workload Changes- Ben Harder, Chief Negotiator Unit 18

A Response to the "No Delay" Argument

Arguments Against Delay

Just Say No--Implement Reduction Now!

Rebuttal to the Pro Delay/ Against Implementation Arguments

Proposals and Counters for Delay of Workload Reduction

UC Final Proposal April 22, 2016 (Voting on this proposal)

UC Response April 19, 2016