FAM-T Bargaining, Day 5

Direct action works! Building on the energy from our successful May 1 rally with students, faculty won Tentative Agreements (TAs) on three articles, bringing us to a total of four TAs overall: 

• Appointments (covering what shall be included in faculty appointment letters); 
• Association Rights (covering the rights of the Union to facilities and services); 
• Dues Deduction (covering how the University deducts dues and COPE contributions).

These wins show the power of solidarity with students. Check out our photos on our socials (@famiamioh)!

We also passed across counters on Discipline & Discharge and Compensation (holding to our 4%+ annual wage increases but accepting some of management’s more minor language about their right to offer or not offer Overload teaching). While management is currently offering faculty just 1.25% annual increases per year, we are fighting for fair raises and equal dollar amounts that would increase faculty base pay by more than 15% over three years: 

Despite this positive movement at the table today, we are deeply concerned that management is refusing to engage with us on Artificial Intelligence or ICE on campus. They rejected our language on both, showing that they are unwilling to take proactive steps to protect faculty job security and international student-faculty safety on campus. FAM’s language on AI demands: 

• That the university not replace faculty with AI; 
• That the university not share our intellectual property with AI or use it to train AI; 
• That the university not require faculty to use AI in research or teaching; and 
• That the university not evaluate, assess, or surveil faculty using AI. 

The fact that management is unwilling to commit to the above, even as they are requiring AI to be taught in every major, should concern us all. We will keep fighting for these protections and to address the problem of ICE on campus. 

We need YOU to help us move management at the table: 

• More action is needed to win the raises and benefits we deserve. Be on the lookout for upcoming actions at Graduation events and at the May 15th Board of Trustees Meeting! 
• Come to our upcoming bargaining sessions to show management you support a Fair Contract Now:
  • FAM-T (faculty): May 11, 18, 22 (additional June dates to be added)
  • FAM-L (librarians): May 6, 13, 19, 27; June 17 (additional June dates to be discussed)

When we fight, we win. Write info@famiami.org with questions or to get involved!