Our actions are working; let’s keep the pressure on!
Today was a jam-packed day at FAM-T bargaining! We got management to respond on every outstanding article in their court — including Compensation — and we got management to engage on bereavement leaves, a new leave category at Miami University. FAM’s actions over the past month are working, and we are seeing momentum at the table!
We presented two packages today: 1) one combining Management Rights; Association Rights; Shared Governance; No Strike/No Lockout; and Duration and 2) one combining Faculty Evaluations; Performance Improvement Plans; Appointment, Renewal, and Promotion of TCPL Faculty; Appointment and Promotion of Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty; and Intellectual Property and Copyright. These packages are intended to address key FAM member priorities — especially job security — while engaging on management’s key concerns.
We are deeply disappointed by management’s new Compensation numbers, which barely budged from a 1.25% annual wage increase to 1.50%. Management had compensation for over 3 months. By contrast, we immediately countered on Compensation this afternoon, insisting on restoring our buying power and putting this crucial article back in management’s court for more movement. Management knows that faculty have lost ground to inflation, but the university would rather spend public resources on multimillion-dollar contracts for outside consultants, basketball arenas, and lawyers to fight against faculty rights. Our faculty do the teaching that earns Miami its top national ranking in undergraduate education, and management’s compensation numbers do not show that management values our teaching or its own national ranking.
Compensation is often the last topic to reach agreement, and we are confident that our continued actions and visible member support will move these numbers to a less dismal place. 💪Today’s movement at the table, while it was minimal in terms of Compensation, included agreeing to some of our parental leave language and moving substantially closer to our proposal on Grievance and Arbitration, which is crucial for protecting faculty whose rights are violated. The fact that we are trading so many proposals in a single session is itself a positive sign that they are feeling the pressure of our actions and are being forced to match our pace.
You can read all proposals in full here!
Keep the pressure on—we need YOU in the room at bargaining on November 6th in Oxford. The momentum at the table is picking up, and we need members in the room if we want to get the contract we deserve. Join us November 6 at Demske Staff Development Center, 424 Wells Mill Drive, Oxford. RSVP here!
We also have two other FAM-T bargaining dates in November: the 7th (virtual) and the 12th (VOA). And we have FAM-L bargaining on November 13th and 22nd (locations TBA). Remember, YOU are what will make the difference!
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FAM Question of the Day
Q: Is FAM negotiating for “back pay” given that we’ve missed two years of raises?
A: Yes, we’re negotiating for back pay, and the last new union contract negotiated in Ohio (BGSU’s) did win back pay. But bear in mind that it’s the total package that matters for our pocketbooks. Our goal is to make faculty whole and better off than before. That could come through some combination of raise structure & back pay.
Of course, we won’t win by calculating a good package — we’ll win if faculty turn out and show management they are willing to fight for it. To make sure we get back pay, we need members to show up to bargaining and participate in organizing actions.
PS: Get answers here to your questions about raises, pace of bargaining, and more.
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