UNION PROPOSALS - NON-ECONOMIC
Article title |
Description |
Status |
History |
Purpose |
Short statement of shared goals for the contract |
Tentative agreement |
Union proposal as “Academic Mission” 2022-03-22; admin rejected 2022-05-22; admin counter as “Purpose” 2022-05-25; union counter 2022-06-22; admin counter 2022-06-22; union counter 2022-07-08; admin counter 2022-07-19; union counter 2022-07-20; TA 2022-08-01 |
Separability |
Technical article ensuring contract remains in effect if one part is found to be invalid by a court or government |
Tentative agreement |
Union proposal 2022-05-03; TA 2022-06-22 |
Dues Deduction |
Establishes procedures for faculty to authorize dues deductions from paychecks |
Tentative agreement |
Union proposal 2022-03-33; admin counter 2022-07-08; union counter 2022-07-20; admin counter 2023-01-12; union counter 2023-01-12; admin counter 2023-01-24; union counter 2023-01-24; admin counter 2023-02-03; union counter 2023-02-07; TA 2022-02-0 |
Labor-Management Meetings |
Establishes a process for monthly meetings between union and administration to maintain open communication about issues affecting the bargaining unit |
Tentative agreement |
Union proposal 2022-04-20; admin counter 2022-05-05; union counter 2022-06-07; admin counter 2022-06-07; union counter 2022-06-22; TA 2022-06-22 |
Health and Safety |
Establishes health and safety protections for faculty, process for reporting safety hazards, safety trainings, and process for ongoing communication over health and safety issues between the union and administration, especially since PA does not have a public sector occupational health and safety law (more) |
Tentative agreement |
Union proposal 2022-04-20; admin counter 2022-07-20; union counter 2022-09-19; admin counter 2022-10-11; admin counter 2022-11-15; union counter 2022-11-15; admin counter 2022-12-14; union counter 2022-12-14; union counter 2022-12-15; admin counter 2023-01-09; admin counter 2023-02-22; union counter 2023-02-22; TA 2023-02-22 |
Union Communication and Access |
Ensures that our Union will have the information we need to advocate for our colleagues, that we will have access to campus spaces to hold meetings and events, that we will be part of orientations for new faculty, and that we will be able to communicate with our colleagues without interference |
Tentative agreement |
Union proposal 2022-04-20; admin counter 2022-06-07; union counter 2022-06-22; admin rejection 2022-07-20; union counter 2022-08-01; admin counter 2022-09-07; admin counter 2022-09-19; union counter 2022-10-11; admin counter 2022-11-15; union counter 2022-11-15; admin counter 2022-12-14; admin counter 2023-01-19; union counter 2023-01-12; admin counter 2023-01-24; union counter 2023-01-24; admin counter 2023-02-03; union counter 2023-02-07; admin counter 2023-02-22; union counter 2023-02-22; TA 2023-02-22 |
Facilities and Support |
Ensures access to resources necessary for us to do our jobs, prior to start of classes |
Tentative agreement |
Union proposal 2022-06-07; admin counter 2022-08-01; union counter 2022-08-25; admin counter 2022-09-07; union counter 2022-09-07; admin counter 2022-09-19; union counter 2022-09-19; admin counter 2022-10-11; union counter 2022-10-11; TA 2022-10-27 |
Grievance and Arbitration |
Establishes process for resolving disputes, culminating in binding neutral arbitration where necessary. A grievance procedure ending in binding arbitration is required by PA statute. (more) |
Significant progress: admin counter includes shorter timelines and narrower definitions of grievances |
Union proposal 2022-04-20; admin counter 2022-09-19; union counter 2022-10-11; union counter 2023-01-31; admin counter 2023-02-22; union counter 2023-03-03; admin counter 2023-03-13; union counter 2023-03-13 |
Discipline and Discharge |
Establishes fair and transparent procedures for disciplining or firing faculty, including “just cause,” a well-established legal standard that requires that discipline be based on substantial evidence, and that it be proportional, progressive, and fairly applied. (more) |
Significant progress: apparent agreement on “just cause” and progressive discipline |
Union proposal 2022-04-20; admin counter 2023-02-22; union counter 2023-03-03; admin counter 2023-03-13; union counter 2023-03-13; admin counter 2023-03-14; union counter 2023-03-14 |
Academic Freedom and Ethical Conduct |
Establishes basic protections against discipline for teaching, research, “intramural speech” (eg shared governance), and “extramural speech” (eg as private citizens), along with corresponding obligations |
Some progress: admin made a meaningful counter-proposal on Jan 12 that includes all faculty. We have concerns about ambiguity of certain limits to academic freedom but room to negotiate. Our proposal also includes intramural speech, but the administration’s does not. |
Union proposal 2022-03-22; admin counter 2022-05-25; rejected by union 2022-06-07; admin counter 2022-07-08; rejected by union 2022-08-01; admin proposes “ethical conduct” 2022-08-01; admin counter 2022-09-19; union counter (incorporating “ethical conduct” 2022-10-11; admin counter 2023-01-12; union counter 2023-01-24 |
Non-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Anti-Bullying |
Establishes protections against discrimination based on specific categories, protections against harassment protecting everyone, a process for ongoing communication and collaboration related to diversity, equity, and inclusion between the union and administration, and training |
Significant progress: apart on protected status of caste, weight, height, health or medical status, or family care leave status. Apparent agreement on everything else. |
Union proposal 2022-06-07; admin counter 2022-07-20; union counter 2022-08-01; admin counter 2022-09-07; union counter 2022-09-19; admin rejected 2022-10-11; union counter 2022-10-11; admin counter 2022-10-11; union counter 2022-10-13; admin rejected most recent counter 2022-11-15 |
Intellectual Property |
Covers ownership of scholarly works, teaching materials, and inventions |
Some progress: apparent agreement to incorporate most of existing policy; apart on status of teaching materials, admin discretion over changing policy mid-contract |
Union proposal 2022-06-07; admin counter 2022-06-22; union counter 2022-07-08; admin rejected 2022-07-20; union counter 2022-10-11; admin rejected most recent counter 2022-11-15 |
Recognition |
Establishes who is covered by the contract, governed by PA labor board decisions |
Some progress: admin keeps trying to exclude people, even though there is nothing to negotiate since the PLRB decides |
Union proposal 2022-03-22; admin counter 2022-05-03; admin counter 2022-05-25; union counter 2022-06-07; admin counter 2022-07-20; rejected by union 2022-08-01; admin counter 2023-03-09; union counter 2023-03-13 |
Appointment and Renewal |
Increases appointment lengths and provides for automatic renewals; creates consistent flexible appointment structures for all faculty, including part-time (more) |
Some progress: admin has agreed to significant improvements to contract lengths and renewal procedure; we need to address enforceability and other key details |
Union proposal 2022-07-20; admin reject/counter with Management Rights 2022-09-19; admin counter with “Notice of Appointment,” “Full-time Appointment Stream Faculty,” “Part-time Appointment Stream Faculty,” and “Visiting Faculty” 2022-12-14; union counter 2023-01-24; admin counter with “Falk School,” “Library Faculty,” and “PT Appt Stream Faculty 2022-01-24 |
Workload |
Ensures everyone has transparent work assignments, creates protections against workload increases, and establishes a basis for calculating part-time faculty effort |
Some progress: admin countered on 2023-02-22 with limited proposal that would provide for job descriptions for everyone and require units to develop workload policies; we are looking for more specific standards for job descriptions, clearer standards for total effort, and language to address part-time effort. |
Union proposal 2022-07-20; admin counter 2023-02-22; union counter 2023-03-03; union counter 2023-03-09 |
Performance Evaluation |
Establishes procedures for evaluating faculty work fairly and transparently, providing for local variation |
Some progress: exchanged counters in January/February; we adopted much of admin’s approach; their proposal doesn’t address process for defining standards for evaluation; we are seeking stronger language for teaching evaluations, especially use of student evaluations |
Union proposal 2022-07-20; admin reject/counter with Management Rights 2022-09-19; admin counter 2022-12-14; union counter 2023-01-31 |
Promotion and Tenure |
Establishes fair and transparent promotion and tenure procedures and standards, providing for local variation |
Admin rejected, countered with Management Rights |
Union proposal 2022-07-20; admin reject/counter with Management Rights 2022-09-19 |
Layoff and Recall |
Establishes fair and transparent procedures for layoffs in the event of financial exigency, program closure, or other bona fide lack of work, creates recall rights for faculty who have been laid off |
Admin rejected, countered with Management Rights |
Union proposal 2022-07-20; admin reject/counter with Management Rights 2022-09-19; union counter 2023-01-24 |
Shared Governance |
Establishes protections and standards for university- and unit-level shared governance to allow for variation in policies and procedures in different schools/campuses (more) |
No progress: admin refuses to acknowledge our legal rights as the exclusive representative for our bargaining unit |
Union proposal 2022-04-20; admin counter 2022-09-19; union counter 2023-01-31 |
Falk Laboratory School |
Policies and procedures specific to faculty at Falk |
Some progress on issues related to workday, breaks, and prep time. Apart on scheduling meetings and events outside the regular workday/school year. Admin counter includes Falk faculty in improvements to renewal process and increasing contract lengths (in our Appointment and Renewal proposal). |
Union proposal 2022-08-25; admin reject/counter with Management Rights 2022-09-19; admin counter 2023-01-24; union counter 2022-02-07; admin counter 2023-03-13; union counter 2023-03-14 |
Subcontracting and Bargaining Unit Work |
Protects faculty work from competition by subcontractors or other employees |
Admin rejected, countered with Management Rights |
Union proposal 2022-06-07; admin reject/counter with Management Rights 2022-09-19 |
Online Instruction |
Covers training and support for online teaching assignments |
Admin rejected |
Union proposal 2022-06-07; admin rejected 2022-07-20; union counter 2022-08-25 |
Successorship |
Ensures collective bargaining will continue if Pitt is sold or becomes private |
Admin rejected |
Union proposal 2022-08-25; admin rejected 2022-09-19 |
Neutrality |
Commits admin to neutrality if other employees decide to unionize |
Admin rejected |
Union proposal 2022-08-25; admin rejection 2022-09-19 |
UNION PROPOSALS - ECONOMIC
Article title |
Description |
Status |
History |
Compensation |
Proposes cost of living increases of 8.3%/year (current inflation rate); experience increases of $5000/year (prorated for PT faculty); a salary floor of $60 thousand for all faculty (prorated for PT faculty); and 10% promotion increases. Creates a process for equity adjustments, and allows for individual market/retention negotiations (more) |
No response from admin |
Union proposal 2022-09-19 |
Benefits |
Protects existing benefits and expands them to all faculty (health, retirement, disability, education, dependent care, parking and transportation, fitness, professional development, and visa support); proposes expansions for childcare, parking, reproductive health and gender affirming care, work visas, and flexible work arrangements (more) |
No response from admin |
Union proposal 2022-10-17 |
Leaves |
Creates fair and transparent procedures for family and medical leave, sick leave, sabbaticals, unpaid leaves, buyouts, vacations, union leave, bereavement leave, and intimate partner violence leave (more) |
No response from admin |
Union proposal 2022-11-15; union updated 2023-02-22 |
Research Support |
Establishes standards for soft money, expense and travel reimbursement, research incentive programs, and bridge funding (more) |
No response from admin |
Union proposal 2022-11-15 |
ADMIN PROPOSALS
Title |
Description |
Status |
History |
Management Rights |
Expansive claim of unilateral authority and discretion over every aspect of our jobs, far exceeding the current status quo, presented as a “counter” to our proposals on Appointments and Renewal; Workload; Performance Evaluation; Promotion and Tenure; Layoff and Recall; Falk Laboratory School; and Subcontracting and Bargaining Unit Work |
Our counter acknowledges the administration’s already robust rights under the law |
Admin proposal 2022-09-19; union counter 2022-09-19 |
Union Conferences and Training |
Allows for modest leaves for faculty to attend union conferences and trainings |
Incorporated into our Leaves proposal |
Admin proposal 2022-10-11; union counter with Leaves 2023-02-22 |
No Strike No Lockout |
Prohibits strikes or lockouts during the term of the contract. PA law already prohibits strikes during a contract. Admin’s proposal includes highly punitive language for faculty who act independently. |
Countered with less punitive language, packaged with Grievance and Arbitration |
Admin proposal 2022-09-19; union counter 2023-01-31 |
Ethical Conduct |
Enumerates limits to academic freedom and ethical obligations binding faculty |
Incorporated into Academic Freedom and Ethical Conduct |
Admin proposal 2022-08-01; union counter with Academic Freedom 2022-10-11 |
