BARGAINING UPDATE
May 31, 2022
Dear colleague,
We met briefly with the administration on May 25, after they canceled our long-scheduled May 20 meeting. While they finally presented a few counterproposals in writing, we are disappointed that their main focus still seems to be trying to exclude faculty from the bargaining unit.
Most notably, they keep pushing to exclude the Falk School faculty. This has already been litigated extensively, and the administration raised no objections when the labor board included Falk faculty last year. The administration is now making the insulting argument that Falk faculty do not meet the definition of faculty because they teach K–8 students. But Falk faculty are members of the School of Education who do research, supervise undergraduate and graduate students, and fully participate in academic service, including serving on hiring and curriculum committees and taking on leadership roles. We all know that faculty across the university do a wide range of different work that falls under teaching, research, and service, and there is not a single way to be a Pitt faculty member. Our colleagues at Falk are no exception, and the administration’s misunderstanding of the work of Falk faculty is one more example of their general disconnect from the everyday work of faculty at Pitt.
With that said, the administration are no longer immediately demanding the exclusion of other large groups of faculty, which is welcome progress.
Reach out to a member of our Communication and Action Team (CAT) if you have any questions or want to learn how to get more involved in pushing back against the university’s unfair demands. If you don’t know who your CAT member is, email info@pittfaculty.org and we’ll put you in touch with a colleague in your area.
This Friday, June 3rd, you are also invited to chat with members of our CAT and other faculty colleagues at our union happy hour, from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Golden Age Beer Company at 337 E 8th Av in Homestead. Golden Age has a large outdoor patio so we will plan to congregate outside. We hope to see you there!
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee
We met briefly with the administration on May 25, after they canceled our long-scheduled May 20 meeting. While they finally presented a few counterproposals in writing, we are disappointed that their main focus still seems to be trying to exclude faculty from the bargaining unit.
Most notably, they keep pushing to exclude the Falk School faculty. This has already been litigated extensively, and the administration raised no objections when the labor board included Falk faculty last year. The administration is now making the insulting argument that Falk faculty do not meet the definition of faculty because they teach K–8 students. But Falk faculty are members of the School of Education who do research, supervise undergraduate and graduate students, and fully participate in academic service, including serving on hiring and curriculum committees and taking on leadership roles. We all know that faculty across the university do a wide range of different work that falls under teaching, research, and service, and there is not a single way to be a Pitt faculty member. Our colleagues at Falk are no exception, and the administration’s misunderstanding of the work of Falk faculty is one more example of their general disconnect from the everyday work of faculty at Pitt.
With that said, the administration are no longer immediately demanding the exclusion of other large groups of faculty, which is welcome progress.
Reach out to a member of our Communication and Action Team (CAT) if you have any questions or want to learn how to get more involved in pushing back against the university’s unfair demands. If you don’t know who your CAT member is, email info@pittfaculty.org and we’ll put you in touch with a colleague in your area.
This Friday, June 3rd, you are also invited to chat with members of our CAT and other faculty colleagues at our union happy hour, from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Golden Age Beer Company at 337 E 8th Av in Homestead. Golden Age has a large outdoor patio so we will plan to congregate outside. We hope to see you there!
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee
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