Unit 18 Bargaining Update #2

11 March 2011

Colleagues:

We had our second bargaining session today, at UC-Irvine. The tone was again very collegial, and the teams worked collaboratively on a number of important issues, including layoff, grievance, arbitration, and discipline and dismissal. We approached these articles by setting aside any possibly contentious issues within each of them, and working towards an agreement on those changes that each side considers necessary. While we have not arrived at final contract language, we have identified areas where there is common ground, and identified how it is that the shared ideas can be translated into contract language. The UC team will bring many of these ideas back to their stakeholders on the campuses so that we can move forward in our discussion at the next session. The same could be said for some workload equity issues that we brought to the table.

There are two other things of interest that happened today. First, we Tentatively Agreed (TA'd) the parking article, removing it from further discussion. Second, we spent considerable time reviewing Article 10 on Personnel Files. This resulted in us clarifying the terminology that we will use in this article and elsewhere in the contract. In addition, we are endeavoring to clarify every use of the term "file" in the contract. Consistency should bring better contract understanding and implementation.

We will meet again, in Oakland, on the 30th of March. I'll write then with another update. In the meantime, enjoy your spring breaks--wherever they may take you.

Best wishes,

Alan Karras
Chief Negotiator, Unit 18