Friday February 19th, 2010.
Friday marked another full day of bargaining with members from all three campuses in attendance. The major topic of the day was management's response to the various economic proposals from the Union. Among positive signs was conceptual agreement on making LIs in their 3rd and 4th year eligible for long-term sick pay and disability insurance (which would bring them into line with other University employees), as well as a second bonus for adjunct faculty. On a less positive note, it is clear that management views our economic proposals as a zero-sum game where any monies spent for any purpose (however much they may agree with that purpose) will be deducted from the dollars available for annual raises. We reject this mindset, in the belief that university funding is a matter of priorities, and that it is time for undergraduate teaching to become a top priority -- not an after-thought.
We also received a counterproposal on the Appointments article and talked about Layoff and Recall. Again, some positive signs in discrete areas, such as LIs becoming eligible for some course cancellation penalties. However, management rejected most of our proposals regarding greater job security for LIs, citing their need for "flexibility."
Earlier in the week, some members of each team met in small groups to discuss the creation of a University-wide senior lecturer program as well as pay distribution. (At issue here was whether to pay LIIs over eight or twelve months.) Discussion on both issues was productive: it seems likely that a senior lecturer program will be part of the final agreement, and it also appears that it will be possible to keep the LIIs who are currently being paid over twelve months on that schedule. We welcome that as our members generally really like whatever pay arrangement they currently have.
Once again, all LEO members are welcome to attend bargaining sessions. This Friday we plan to start at ten - we will probably be working on Appointments language and the Layoff and Recall article. You can find us in the School of Social Work.
Sincerely,
Kirsten Herold
LEO VP
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Bargaining Update: Lecturer I's not "flexible" enough for Administration
February 12, 2010
After getting all the proposals on the table in the last three weeks, we are now transitioning from presentation mode to actual negotiation.
We spent the day talking about performance reviews and management's "need for flexibility" with LI appointments. While they have not rejected any of our proposals outright, they argued that the combined impact of our proposals "longer appointments, earlier notice dates, and late lay-off penalties for Lecturer Is" would have a chilling impact on their ability to staff courses and would lead to layoffs in April.
Our answer is that Lecturer Is are more than half of the bargaining unit, which is a lot of flexibility; that they generally know what enrollment patterns look like; and that if they should get it wrong, the impact is so much greater on a member already living close to the margins than it would be for a department to pay out 17% of the cost of the course in a late cancellation fee. We expect to resume discussion on the Union's salary proposal next week around 10 a.m.
We also set up time to discuss a number of proposals in a small group setting. These include the Senior Lecturer Proposal (which they have indicated they are interested in), technical stuff about pay schedules, parental leaves, and international lecturers. We hope that the conversation in small groups will enable us to utilize more of a problem-solving, interest-based approach to the issues.
As always members are welcome to join us on Fridays in our beautiful space: the Education Conference Center at the School of Social Work, corner of East and South U. We are deeply gratified for the number of members who have already attended bargaining, and hope to see everyone there before it is over.
Sincerely, Kirsten Herold
LEO VP
See the sidebar for negotiation times and locations!
After getting all the proposals on the table in the last three weeks, we are now transitioning from presentation mode to actual negotiation.
We spent the day talking about performance reviews and management's "need for flexibility" with LI appointments. While they have not rejected any of our proposals outright, they argued that the combined impact of our proposals "longer appointments, earlier notice dates, and late lay-off penalties for Lecturer Is" would have a chilling impact on their ability to staff courses and would lead to layoffs in April.
Our answer is that Lecturer Is are more than half of the bargaining unit, which is a lot of flexibility; that they generally know what enrollment patterns look like; and that if they should get it wrong, the impact is so much greater on a member already living close to the margins than it would be for a department to pay out 17% of the cost of the course in a late cancellation fee. We expect to resume discussion on the Union's salary proposal next week around 10 a.m.
We also set up time to discuss a number of proposals in a small group setting. These include the Senior Lecturer Proposal (which they have indicated they are interested in), technical stuff about pay schedules, parental leaves, and international lecturers. We hope that the conversation in small groups will enable us to utilize more of a problem-solving, interest-based approach to the issues.
As always members are welcome to join us on Fridays in our beautiful space: the Education Conference Center at the School of Social Work, corner of East and South U. We are deeply gratified for the number of members who have already attended bargaining, and hope to see everyone there before it is over.
Sincerely, Kirsten Herold
LEO VP
See the sidebar for negotiation times and locations!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Bargaining Update: Should you start looking for extra work?
February 5th, 2010
Once again a long and productive day at bargaining. Feb 5 was the
deadline for all proposals. We presented our proposals on Salary, Benefits and Sick pay (extending the same benefits to Lecturer Is in their third and fourth year that all other University employees receive) as well as gave them two discussion pieces on modified duties for new parents and the small group of LIVs whose second major review has been unduly delayed.
Management gave us their long-awaited benefits proposal. It is what we expected: a steep rise in the costs of benefits, primarily borne by the lowest paid. They also shared some benefits information, which showed what a tiny fraction of overall health care costs are incurred by lecturers.
We had two members testify to the catastrophic effects the proposed changes would have for them and their families; with insurance premiums going to $450 a month or so for part-timers (those between 50 and 79%), many members are now looking for other jobs - they simply cannot afford to continue teaching.
Finally there was some Q & A on earlier proposals. And at the end of the day, we shared our feelings on the three proposals they have made that would seriously curb our rights as a Union.
Any LEO member can attend bargaining at any time, F 9:30-5:30, in the Education Conference Room, main floor, School of Social Work on the corner of East and South U.
Sincerely,
Kirsten Herold
LEO VP
Once again a long and productive day at bargaining. Feb 5 was the
deadline for all proposals. We presented our proposals on Salary, Benefits and Sick pay (extending the same benefits to Lecturer Is in their third and fourth year that all other University employees receive) as well as gave them two discussion pieces on modified duties for new parents and the small group of LIVs whose second major review has been unduly delayed.
Management gave us their long-awaited benefits proposal. It is what we expected: a steep rise in the costs of benefits, primarily borne by the lowest paid. They also shared some benefits information, which showed what a tiny fraction of overall health care costs are incurred by lecturers.
We had two members testify to the catastrophic effects the proposed changes would have for them and their families; with insurance premiums going to $450 a month or so for part-timers (those between 50 and 79%), many members are now looking for other jobs - they simply cannot afford to continue teaching.
Finally there was some Q & A on earlier proposals. And at the end of the day, we shared our feelings on the three proposals they have made that would seriously curb our rights as a Union.
Any LEO member can attend bargaining at any time, F 9:30-5:30, in the Education Conference Room, main floor, School of Social Work on the corner of East and South U.
Sincerely,
Kirsten Herold
LEO VP
Monday, February 1, 2010
Bargaining Update: UM Admin doesn't want LEO to act like a Union
Bargaining update Jan 29, 2010
Another productive day of bargaining, although serious fissures are beginning to emerge. We were happy to move into our new digs at the School of Social Work where you will find us every Friday until mid March where we bargain for a couple of weeks in Flint and Dearborn. We presented proposals on International Lecturers, Performance Evaluation and Special Case Appointments. They gave us their proposals on the No Strike clause and Special Case Appointments. Once again, we had a good group of LEO folks in attendance, from LSA, Engineering, RC, Nursing, Art and Design, and Social Work. And we had a presentation about the Flint budget.
On the positive side, they seemed open to some of our proposals, in particular making Senior Lecturers an actual title and appointing more of them, and also letting spring-summer teaching count as time towards major review (in specific cases). They also agree that requiring a major review every three years in perpetuity is not a productive use of anyone's time, but for now they seem to be leaning more towards longer appointment periods, rather than moving towards an open-ended appointment.
On a more ominous note, they have now given us three proposals generated in direct response to thing we have done as a Union in the past (and in one case, in response to things done by members of another Union.). They really don't like it when we talk to students about our issues, so they want unilateral power to various sanctions (like suspending the collection of dues and access to the U's email system) even if it is the actions just by a few members. They don't want any LEO members to come out to support a LEO grievance, and they want the unilateral right to start recent graduate programs (hiring new PhDs over existing lecturers) in whatever department they choose - because once we said no to one department for a few weeks. As one team member said, "they just don't want us to act like a Union."
As always, any LEO member is welcome to attend bargaining at any time, whether for 45 minutes or all day. We are in the education center in the School of Social Work, ground floor, bear right as you enter the building.
In subsequent issues of LEO Letters, I will be discussing some of our proposals in more detail. And as always you can visit the website or the LEO blog or facebook or twitter. LEO enters the 21st century!!
Best, Kirsten Herold
LEO VP
Another productive day of bargaining, although serious fissures are beginning to emerge. We were happy to move into our new digs at the School of Social Work where you will find us every Friday until mid March where we bargain for a couple of weeks in Flint and Dearborn. We presented proposals on International Lecturers, Performance Evaluation and Special Case Appointments. They gave us their proposals on the No Strike clause and Special Case Appointments. Once again, we had a good group of LEO folks in attendance, from LSA, Engineering, RC, Nursing, Art and Design, and Social Work. And we had a presentation about the Flint budget.
On the positive side, they seemed open to some of our proposals, in particular making Senior Lecturers an actual title and appointing more of them, and also letting spring-summer teaching count as time towards major review (in specific cases). They also agree that requiring a major review every three years in perpetuity is not a productive use of anyone's time, but for now they seem to be leaning more towards longer appointment periods, rather than moving towards an open-ended appointment.
On a more ominous note, they have now given us three proposals generated in direct response to thing we have done as a Union in the past (and in one case, in response to things done by members of another Union.). They really don't like it when we talk to students about our issues, so they want unilateral power to various sanctions (like suspending the collection of dues and access to the U's email system) even if it is the actions just by a few members. They don't want any LEO members to come out to support a LEO grievance, and they want the unilateral right to start recent graduate programs (hiring new PhDs over existing lecturers) in whatever department they choose - because once we said no to one department for a few weeks. As one team member said, "they just don't want us to act like a Union."
As always, any LEO member is welcome to attend bargaining at any time, whether for 45 minutes or all day. We are in the education center in the School of Social Work, ground floor, bear right as you enter the building.
In subsequent issues of LEO Letters, I will be discussing some of our proposals in more detail. And as always you can visit the website or the LEO blog or facebook or twitter. LEO enters the 21st century!!
Best, Kirsten Herold
LEO VP
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