FAM bargained last Friday, May 22 on behalf of faculty and today, May 27 on behalf of librarians. This is a double bargaining update covering both sessions.
We are standing firm
We are standing firm on Compensation, Benefits, Academic Freedom for librarians, and our members’ other top priorities. On both the faculty and librarian sides, management is stalling and stonewalling on the financials while refusing to commit not to replace us with AI.
We want you to know: we are not backing down. We will keep fighting on these top priorities! We are strategizing behind the scenes so that we are prepared to force management’s hand to win the second contract we deserve. You can help by taking action! See below what specific actions you can do.
Faculty negotiations
At Friday’s faculty session, we passed across an updated Compensation proposal that attempts to reach an aligned structure without lowering our numbers. We also made progress on Labor-Management Meetings and prepared new proposals for our next session.
For their part, management rejected (again) our Memorandum of Understanding on Artificial Intelligence. The fact that they are unwilling to commit to reasonable AI protections (against replacing us with AI, for example) is deeply concerning.
It’s clear to us that they are still trying to limit our rights and our material gains, so we are getting creative. Talk to your liaison or come to our upcoming General Membership Meeting (date and time TBA) for behind-the-scenes details about our strategy!
Librarian negotiations
At today’s bargaining session, we presented a package deal that we call Putting Academic Freedom First. We offered to drop a number of lower-priority articles in exchange for librarians’ top, non-economic priority: Academic Freedom. It would have been a good deal for management, but they rejected it, showing no movement at all on our priorities.
Likewise, we presented a package on Compensation and Professional Development Funds that management also rejected. It’s clear to us that they are stalling and not interested in working with us to close the contract, so we are getting creative. Talk to your liaison or come to our upcoming General Membership Meeting (date and time TBA) for behind-the-scenes details about our strategy!
Actions you can take to win YOUR contract
- Come to bargaining to get your Fair Contract Now yard sign!
- Watch for ☀️summer actions☀️: Alumni Weekend and New Student Orientations
- Watch for our upcoming June General Membership Meeting (date and time TBA) to get the inside scoop! 🍨
- PACK THE BARGAINING ROOM on June 22 and June 30 to show management that our members stand with us!
- Come to our upcoming bargaining sessions to show management you support a Fair Contract Now:
- FAM-T (faculty): June 1, 3, 15, 22
- FAM-L (librarians): June 17, 24, 30
Let’s fill Oxford, Hamilton, and Middletown with Fair Contract Now yard signs!
At commencement actions last weekend, graduates sported FAM fans!
We are stronger together! Negotiations are not won at the table but through membership leverage and direct action. JOIN US!! Write info@famiami.org with questions or to get involved!
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