Bargaining Session Update
It was another incredibly long day at the bargaining table. While agreement was reached on one language item, the calendar, very little else was accomplished. The employer brought CFO Steve Mackey back to the bargaining room to give another presentation. Both sides shared economic proposals but we remain far apart. The employer continues to propose both a uniform workload for special instructors and a forced merit distribution, neither of which is acceptable. We signed a contract extension through August 15, one day past the current contract expiration date and the date of our next session with the mediator.
Article XXIX and Appendix I (Calendar): Due to the complex nature of the calendar and in recognition of the now-standing Senate calendar committee, the two teams agreed to maintain current calendar contract language and also agreed to a Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) to open back up the calendar discussion sometime after January 15, 2025. An MOA is an agreement outside the collective bargaining contract that is equally enforceable as all the rest of the contract language. We agreed to this as an MOA because of its shortened timeline and the fact that it has no real substance other than to mandate future bargaining. This extra time will allow the Senate calendar committee time to fulfill its charge and gather input from across the campus community.