12 Jul Bargaining Update #5: 3rd Session Progress
Our Last “Easy” TA
In our 3rd meeting with the University’s bargaining team, we opened with another quick Tentative Agreement on Article XVII – Access to Personnel Files. This is the last of our language streamlining changes that simply bring the NTT and TT contracts into closer alignment without changing their substance.
What’s Still On The Table?
We currently have 4 substantive proposals on the table, all originating from the United Faculty side. These are some of our non-economic proposals, which is to say that they do not deal with salaries and benefits, or directly impose other costs on the University or the Union.
Fair, Transparent, Consistent
In this session, we began with a focus on Discipline and Dismissal, and Academic Freedom. It is our hope that we can use the bargaining process not to dictate discipline outcomes, or define academic freedom, but to refine the process through which these principles are applied and upheld. Specifically, we are aiming for greater fairness, transparency and consistency, so that a faculty member, or an administrator, can go into these situations with a very clear idea of the steps, rights, and responsibilities involved on all sides.
The University’s team, which includes individuals from system and campus administration, as well as some individual department heads, seemed to agree that there would be value in such clarity and guidance. Of course, agreement in principle is not the same as an agreement on paper, but the United Faculty team sees this as a first step toward defining processes that everyone finds reasonable.
Next Steps
We didn’t come to any further Tentative Agreements, and likely won’t see more TA’s without hashing out some details from what’s already on the table, but we did make progress. We’ve agreed to take the University team’s input and make revisions to some of our proposals, but also sincerely hope to see counter-proposals from the University next time we meet.
Our next bargaining session is next Tuesday, July 17th, from 2:00-5:00.
For the duration of the bargaining process, we will be issuing periodic updates via email, facebook, twitter, and here on our website. We strongly encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. With your support, we can make UIC an even better place to work and learn!
In Solidarity,
UIC United Faculty Bargaining Team
Aaron Krall [Co-Chair], Senior Lecturer, English | Kevin Whyte [Co-Chair], Professor, Math, Statistics and Computer Science | Kheir Al-Kodmany, Professor, Urban Planning and Policy | Xochitl Bada, Associate Professor, Latin American and Latino Studies | Joaquin Chavez, Associate Professor, History | Jim Drown, Senior Lecturer, English | Chris Kanich, Assistant Professor, Computer Science | Paul Pieper, Associate Professor, Economics | Paul Preissner, Associate Professor, Architecture | Laurie Quinn, Clinical Professor, Biobehavioral Science | Jeffrey Sklansky, Associate Professor, History | Charitianne Williams, Senior Lecturer, English | Milos Zefran, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering