COMMUNICATION & ACTION TEAM (CAT) UPDATE
August 28, 2023
When will we get a contract?
Takeaways:
Greetings, fellow Pitt faculty!
The Fall semester is upon us! As we all busily prepare for classes, delve into new research projects, and schedule committee meetings, we may be reminded that we're beginning yet another academic year without a satisfactory contract, as the university administration denies us adequate raises and job protections by dragging their feet in bargaining. If you’re like me, you may be wondering when we’ll finally have that amazing union contract we’ve been dreaming about (and our bargaining committee has been fighting for) for so long. The frustrating answer is: we don’t know. But the more satisfying follow-up is: it’s up to us!
Our ability to win a strong contract depends entirely on member participation and mobilization. The administration isn’t legally required to stick to a genuinely reasonable schedule for contract negotiations. And, contrary to our expectations as academics, they won't be moved by good arguments alone. Instead, we, as a faculty body, must motivate the administration to show up and bargain in good faith. How do we do that? By standing up together and, in a clear and powerful voice, telling the administration to keep pace with our bargaining team and agree to the pay, benefits, and protections that we’re worth.
Signing a membership card is the best way for you to help build our union power, for two reasons: (1) membership gives you power to vote to ratify the contract once a tentative agreement is reached, and (2) every signed card sends a signal to the administration that our union is strong and has the power to win a strong contract! If you haven’t yet signed a membership card, do so today! You can request a conversation about membership by clicking the “Become a Member!” button on our website.
If you've already signed a card and you're in the mood to do something more active, join us next week in marching with our USW siblings in the annual Pittsburgh Labor Day parade! Meet by the USW van in the Melody parking lot (corner of Crawford and Centre Ave) at 9 AM September 4. And stay tuned for future actions!
We're stronger together. Solidarity for the week ahead!
Your friendly neighborhood CAT member,
Ellen Lee (she/her)
Teaching Assistant Professor of Classics
Oakland Campus
Linguistics & Languages CAT turf coordinator
Links!
- There is no legal limit on how long our contract negotiations can take. We will have a contract with the protections and improvements our bargaining committee has negotiated, along with our raises, when our bargaining committee is able to reach a tentative agreement (TA) with the administration and Union members vote to ratify this agreement. How quickly this will happen depends on how motivated the administration is to reach a tentative agreement.
- Show your support and get ready to vote on the TA by signing a Union membership card. You can find more information and request to sign a card on our website.
- March with our USW siblings in the annual Pittsburgh Labor Day parade! Meet by the USW van in the Melody parking lot (corner of Crawford and Centre Ave) at 9 AM September 4.
Greetings, fellow Pitt faculty!
The Fall semester is upon us! As we all busily prepare for classes, delve into new research projects, and schedule committee meetings, we may be reminded that we're beginning yet another academic year without a satisfactory contract, as the university administration denies us adequate raises and job protections by dragging their feet in bargaining. If you’re like me, you may be wondering when we’ll finally have that amazing union contract we’ve been dreaming about (and our bargaining committee has been fighting for) for so long. The frustrating answer is: we don’t know. But the more satisfying follow-up is: it’s up to us!
Our ability to win a strong contract depends entirely on member participation and mobilization. The administration isn’t legally required to stick to a genuinely reasonable schedule for contract negotiations. And, contrary to our expectations as academics, they won't be moved by good arguments alone. Instead, we, as a faculty body, must motivate the administration to show up and bargain in good faith. How do we do that? By standing up together and, in a clear and powerful voice, telling the administration to keep pace with our bargaining team and agree to the pay, benefits, and protections that we’re worth.
Signing a membership card is the best way for you to help build our union power, for two reasons: (1) membership gives you power to vote to ratify the contract once a tentative agreement is reached, and (2) every signed card sends a signal to the administration that our union is strong and has the power to win a strong contract! If you haven’t yet signed a membership card, do so today! You can request a conversation about membership by clicking the “Become a Member!” button on our website.
If you've already signed a card and you're in the mood to do something more active, join us next week in marching with our USW siblings in the annual Pittsburgh Labor Day parade! Meet by the USW van in the Melody parking lot (corner of Crawford and Centre Ave) at 9 AM September 4. And stay tuned for future actions!
We're stronger together. Solidarity for the week ahead!
Your friendly neighborhood CAT member,
Ellen Lee (she/her)
Teaching Assistant Professor of Classics
Oakland Campus
Linguistics & Languages CAT turf coordinator
Links!
- If someone forwarded this to you, sign up to receive these emails
- Find previous bargaining updates here
- Status of bargaining
- Get in touch with your Council rep
- Get involved with the Communication and Action Team