Summer progress report as bargaining breaks until August 29
Barbara Altmann, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of French
August 8, 2013
Negotiating teams representing the University of Oregon and the faculty union, United Academics, have agreed to take a break from the bargaining table after holding several summer sessions.
As of August 1, the University and United Academics had tentatively agreed to 30 articles covering such topics as tenure and promotion, professional development, facilities support, grievance and arbitration, facilities and support, and discipline and termination for cause.
This list reflects hard, thoughtful work by the teams on both sides. It represents real progress toward a first faculty union contract and strengthens the UO’s academic mission.
There is also substantial agreement on articles related to health insurance, retirement and leaves.
Discussions continue about salary. Under the University’s latest offer, tenure-track and tenured faculty would receive an average pay raise of 10.3 % over the contract’s three-year period and non-tenure-track faculty would receive an average increase totaling 11.4 %. The raises would include a mix of across-the-board, merit, floor, and compression and inversion adjustments.
The proposal reflects a substantial investment in UO faculty and a commitment to resolve longstanding issues surrounding equity and salary floors.
The Union is pressing the University to spend even more for salaries and benefits, which is not surprising. However, the University must meet its obligation to live within its means.
It is both reasonable and responsible for the University to ensure that adequate funds are available for other staff salaries, student financial aid, and our campus infrastructure, among other needs.
All the University and Union proposals and counterproposals, as well as summaries of each bargaining session, are available on this website for anyone who wants to delve into the details.
Bargaining resumes on August 29. As always, I’m happy to pass on your questions and comments. This process is vitally important to everyone connected to the University of Oregon as well as the communities served.
