Bargaining Session Report
Yesterday’s negotiations proceeded slowly. While there are a small number of items remaining on the table, they are hugely important. The vast majority of the day was spent defending Oakland’s attacks against the faculty tuition waiver. This gift our faculty give one another is a crucial element of our Faculty Agreement and our members have told us loud and clear that we must defend the right to provide that gift to one another. Oakland attempts to alter the language of this waiver have created problems where none existed and open the door to erosion of the contract clause. Oakland’s proposed language is sloppy, vulnerable to misinterpretation, and reflective of their obtuse refusal to recognize the way the benefit was designed to work.
Oakland initially proposed lowering their contribution to full-time faculty health care from 95% to 80%, a shocking reduction. In previous contracts, the Association has given in other areas of the contract in order to maintain that health insurance contribution rate. While Oakland’s proposals now have that reduction to a still-painful 90% starting in the second year of the contract, that change was made in connection with further reductions to offered salary raises. In other words, Oakland’s move to make our members parallel with other employees on campus comes WITH a lowered salary offer. The total effect on our members is unacceptable. Salary increase offers from Oakland remain at less 2% a year, well below anything that can be considered cost of living.