BARGAINING UPDATE
October 28, 2022
Today marks the one year anniversary of the certification of our union! We’ve accomplished a lot this year, but there is still work to be done.
We voted overwhelmingly to form a union because we wanted the opportunity to negotiate a transparent, fair contract to govern our working conditions. The administration has made it clear through their actions that they are not going to make this easy for us.
Yesterday, faculty from across the university showed up at our bargaining session to call on the administration to stop their stall tactics and work with our Bargaining Committee to draft a contract that will work for all of us. Thank you to everyone who came out!
We voted overwhelmingly to form a union because we wanted the opportunity to negotiate a transparent, fair contract to govern our working conditions. The administration has made it clear through their actions that they are not going to make this easy for us.
Yesterday, faculty from across the university showed up at our bargaining session to call on the administration to stop their stall tactics and work with our Bargaining Committee to draft a contract that will work for all of us. Thank you to everyone who came out!
This is where our power comes from! If we can show the administration that we are united and organized, we can motivate them to come to the table and collaborate with us.
After this action, our bargaining session was productive. We arrived at a tentative agreement with the administration on an article on Facilities and Support, which will contractually require that we have access to the resources necessary to do our jobs. Most significantly, that means that teachers will get their email addresses, ID cards, library services, software, Canvas, and other necessities before classes start. Given Pitt’s unique system in which the term starts in August but contracts are dated September 1, this is a decades-old problem. It especially impacts part-time faculty whose contracts—and their IDs and university accounts—normally expire and must be renewed every term. Tentative agreements on individual articles don’t go into effect until faculty union members have voted to ratify the entire contract. We need to continue to push the administration so that they are as motivated as we are to get a fair contract.
There has never been a more important time to get involved. You can help us win a strong contract by joining our Communication and Action Team and keeping your colleagues informed about what’s happening at the bargaining table.
United we bargain. Divided we beg. Let’s show the administration that we are done begging!
In Solidarity,
Your bargaining committee
After this action, our bargaining session was productive. We arrived at a tentative agreement with the administration on an article on Facilities and Support, which will contractually require that we have access to the resources necessary to do our jobs. Most significantly, that means that teachers will get their email addresses, ID cards, library services, software, Canvas, and other necessities before classes start. Given Pitt’s unique system in which the term starts in August but contracts are dated September 1, this is a decades-old problem. It especially impacts part-time faculty whose contracts—and their IDs and university accounts—normally expire and must be renewed every term. Tentative agreements on individual articles don’t go into effect until faculty union members have voted to ratify the entire contract. We need to continue to push the administration so that they are as motivated as we are to get a fair contract.
There has never been a more important time to get involved. You can help us win a strong contract by joining our Communication and Action Team and keeping your colleagues informed about what’s happening at the bargaining table.
United we bargain. Divided we beg. Let’s show the administration that we are done begging!
In Solidarity,
Your bargaining committee
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