July 25, 2024

MB was being more respectful today. I am wary about whether it will result in more strong resistance in the future”. - Michael Rowley, Family and Consumer Sciences

Today we signed FIVE (5!!!) tentative agreements! This almost doubles the number of agreements that we have signed since starting bargaining, for a total of eleven (11) agreements now. The five signed today include Personnel File and Records, Intellectual Property, Union Rights, Policies and Procedures, AND Shared Governance.

Today’s session began with UFISU’s Lead Spokesperson Ashley Farmer reading an information request for the administration. This request includes information on bargaining unit members denied tenure in AY 23-24, bargaining unit members non-renewed pre-tenure in AY 23-24, and bargaining unit members denied promotion in AY 23-24. The request also includes a list of external and third party systems that utilize name changes, a list of upgraded locks in faculty workspaces, a list of upgrades to campus HVAC systems since 2019, the Centennial Building Air Quality Report / study from January 2024, and the expenditures for hiring new faculty in AY23-24. Admin Spokesperson Mark Bennett then responded to our questions from our last session about the state of reports and current issues in facilities. 

Ashley then presented our new proposal, “On Policies,” authored by table team member Julien Corven (and lovingly named our “plunger” policy, which “unclogged” movement on several proposals). This proposal states that ISU policies may be amended from time to time, and UFISU can still bargain the impact of any change in wages, hours, or working conditions. Administration’s counter-proposal included language to add governing documents, policies, and procedures, which we accepted. This is a key proposal to help move forward the back-and-forth language we have been working on in other proposals, and this enabled us to secure 5 TA’s today! 

Ashley also presented counter-proposals on Shared Goverance, Union Rights, Disability Accommodations, Name Changes, Health and Safety, and Facilities. Detailed updates include: 

  • Disability Accommodations: We clarified language that employees with permanent disabilities should not be required to resubmit documentation, in order to eliminate the burden for bargaining unit members with a permanent disability. 

  • Name Changes: Updates include no charge to employees who are updating University ID cards after a legal name change, and a statement that a list of external and third party systems that access and use employee names needs to be made available.

  • Health and Safety: Updates include eliminating language to hire outside experts. We heard administration’s concerns and recognized the expertise on campus, though we would encourage the administration to provide a short training on how to report facilities concerns.

  • Facilities: This discussion mostly focused on locks, and a response to MB’s statement last week that locks provide a false sense of security. Ashley noted that by no means did we suggest that we don’t want active shooter training. Those are done by federal guidelines, not ISU. But the research states that security measures like locks decreased residential burglaries over the last number of decades. The University of Maryland, Baltimore has an entire webpage on locks. Research also states that there has never been a case where an active shooter has breached a locked door. This also creates potential liability for the university not to have appropriate safety measures in place. MB responded that it is a significant use of resources to address, and that while it is an important topic, it is not appropriate for a collective bargaining agreement. The Table Team has since noted a number of agreements in other unions that do have language on locks as a security measure. 

MB then presented counter-proposals on Grievance and Arbitration, Discipline, Personnel Files and Records, Academic Freedom, Intellectual Property, and ID of Union Representatives. Detailed updates include: 

  • Grievance and Arbitration: There is movement to simplify the description of the process to make it more readable, but objection to including mediation in a way that could hold up the timeline of a grievance procedure, and language around choice of forums. 

  • Discipline: Administration still does not want to agree to anything that would limit their actions, particularly around timelines. They made movement to allow a witness and union representative to attend hearings, and to notify employees and the union if there is a suspension or discharge. 

  • Academic Freedom: Language was added to address complaints regarding the AFEGF, but it ignores our language on including the 2013 AAUP’s Freedom to Teach, or inclusion of syllabus and grade change language

We caucused for three hours, and then returned with counter-proposals from MB on Shared Governance, and a package with Union Rights and Policies and Procedures. Ashley then presented a counter-proposal with Personnel Files and Records and Intellectual Property. All five proposals were signed as Tentative Agreements. 

Even though today’s successes are great news, we still have not had any discussion on economics, which is incredibly important to our members. As we move into August, we need to be putting the pressure on to activate economics. This includes attending future bargaining sessions, and the August 2nd Board of Trustees meeting. See you there!

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