Our planned March 16 bargaining session was canceled at the Administration’s request, so our only meeting with the Administration Negotiating Team (ANT) since our last update was held on Thursday, March 9.
At that meeting we brought one faculty proposal:
- Article: Grievance (AAUP)
Status The ANT brought a grievance proposal to our first bargaining session. Our research team was already at work on a proposal at that time. They incorporated several of the ANT’s suggestions into our counter-proposal. Without going into detail, our proposed process describes an informal process for resolving grievances (similar to that proposed by the ANT), followed by a two-step process that begins with a Dean or other appropriate administrator, then (if the grievance is not resolved) proceeds to either a Hearing Panel composed of representatives from the faculty and administration, or to the Provost. If the issue is still not resolved, the matter goes to arbitration. We had a good discussion in which the ANT asked several questions about the proposal, how Title IX investigations would impact the process, and about the Hearing Panel.
The ANT brought no new proposals to the meeting but they had prepared responses to some of our earlier proposals.
- Article: Union Rights (ANT counter)
Status The ANT responded to our January 23 proposal by removing a few items we had asked for. We still have a few decisions to make but we are likely very close on this one. - Article: Discipline (ANT counter)
Status The ANT responded to our questions and concerns at the February 23 session by clarifying some language. We had a productive discussion about how/who/when warnings can be issued. We will bring a counter-proposal soon but we are likely very close on this one. - Article: Personnel Files (ANT counter)
Status We have traded this proposal back and forth a few times. As with the Discipline proposal, the ANT responded to our questions and concerns at the February 23 session by clarifying some language. Our ongoing concern is that the ANT is proposing that unsolicited letters can be included in our personnel files. We will continue to negotiate on this and other points.
Our next bargaining session is scheduled for March 30.
