We made a lot of progress today during our six sessions of contract bargaining today and your presence on Zoom helped — thank you! While they did not move enough on raises, our showing up makes a difference.
Both sides moved closer on annual increases, controlling healthcare costs, and summer/winter teaching. Specifically, FAM is now proposing 3.5% raises to keep up with inflation for each of the three years of the contract, while management is proposing 3.0% for 2026, 2.75% for 2027, and 2.75% for 2028. In presenting their annual increase proposal at the table, management confirmed that the state is recommending average annual increases of the “low to mid 3s,” but they are not there yet. Management also confirmed that they are currently offering “above what the University has done in the past.” That’s the power of FAM and exactly why we’re holding to our higher numbers — they have underpaid us for years, and other recent contracts are winning more than management is offering.
We were able to align with management on some additional Compensation language concerning summer and winter pay, and we successfully pressured management to remove two more restrictions on our ability to enforce the Compensation article of the contract.
As we have continually stated at the table and in discussions with our members, management is still offering raises that are well below inflation. Social security benefits (3.6%) and Ohio’s minimum wage (3.6%) are both increasing in response. Our members understand the increased cost of living and will not ratify a contract that does not respond to these factual increases.
In response, management’s argument at the table that they are giving us above Miami’s historic norm simply highlights how badly we have been underpaid for years, and is particularly backwards given their exorbitant spending on non-academic priorities ($281+ million arenas) and President Crawford’s excessive 30% bonus.
Crawford’s bonus alone ($176,851 for 2026) is more than the annual salary for 92% of all full-time continuing faculty — those of us who actually do the teaching and research.
As always, member pressure is our path to closing our contract. Come out by the Seal outside of Roudebush this Thursday, October 29 at 3:00pm to Trick or Treat with FAM! 👻 We are going to pass out candy and distribute “Scary Facts” to spook management into agreeing to a FAIR CONTRACT NOW. 💀
