Lecturer Bargaining Update: Bargaining Kickoff Recap for 10/27/2023
LEO members and allies march to Palmer Commons, photo by Peter Brauer
Our bargaining campaign is off to a great start with 105 members showing up last Friday to our first bargaining session and Kickoff Rally in Ann Arbor! Our bargaining team presented six proposals in the morning, took a lunch break for the rally 11am-1pm, and came back strong in the afternoon with eight economic proposals. Read below for a description of the proposals.
*Note: Our future posts won’t be this detailed, but we wanted to entice all members to come to bargaining themselves to see all the action happening at the negotiations table!
Our rally began on the Diag with a speech from former LEO member and State Representative Carrie Rheingans of MI’s 47th district. We chanted and marched our way to Palmer Commons, where we were energized by speeches from some of our lecturers (Nora Krinitsky, Lisa Young, and Jimmy Brancho), University Staff United member Katie Prichard, Graduate Employees’ Organization member Larisa Mednis, and University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council member Anne Jackson.
We will next meet for negotiations November 10th with a Kickoff Rally on the Dearborn Campus, followed by a similar Kickoff in Flint on November 17th! Show your support for our Bargaining Team, and show our collective strength by coming to these events and attending hybrid bargaining.
If you join bargaining on Zoom, make sure to change your profile picture and Zoom background.
Dues paying members have access to our Lecturer Slack Workspace where they can get live bargaining updates as well as participate in a myriad of different group conversations where questions get asked and answered and fun is had. Additionally you can check out our new LEO website bargaining page.
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Check out our Bargaining Day 1 slide presentation and the descriptions of our the proposals below:
Article II: Non-Discrimination
Added inclusion of “caste” per UM’s non-discrimination policy. Added “health status” to the list of protected categories to include those with chronic conditions in disability status.
Article IV: Authorization for Payroll Deduction of Union Dues and New Hire Reporting
Added stipulation that deduction of union dues would supersede “convenience” charges such as parking, charitable contributions, etc. We did not want dues taken ahead of taxes and health insurance premiums.
Article VII: Scheduling and Reduction in Appointment for Union Representatives
Added Contract Administrator as a position eligible for reduction is appointment or reimbursement, elected or appointed. We requested the notification date be July 1.
Article IX: Information
We requested modifications to Recurring Reports: addition of Employee UM emails to list of info provided by Admin (so Union can contact Employees); added request for monthly report of Employees excluded from LEO due to supervisory status (so dues are not deducted from excluded employees); added request for report of Employee teaching schedules no later than end of first week of a term (for organizing and workload purposes); added request for annual report of all employees next review by August 1 (to ensure reviews happen on time).
MOU 11: Support for International Lecturers
We requested that the International Center be required to hold a Fall term orientation covering related issues and that all nonimmigrant visa and lawful permanent residents be invited to such an orientation (10 days prior with a reminder 2 days prior). Further, requested that the list of Employees invited be forwarded to LEO and that we be allowed to present during this orientation.
MOU C: Principal Investigators
We requested a change so that Lecturers are no longer excluded as PIs if otherwise fully qualified for research or other grant opportunities, so long as doing so does not interfere with their lecturer duties.
Article XV: Salary
We proposed increases in minimum full-time salaries: 60k for Lec Is and 62k for Lec IIIs in the first year of the new contract, 61k/63k in year two, 62k/64k in year three; Lec II and IV minimum salaries would increase in year one, according to the number of successful Major Review completed: 66k or 70k for one MR, $72k or $76k for 2 MRs.
We proposed a flat-rate annual increase to salaries: $8k in Fall 2024, $7k in Fall 2025, and $6k in Fall 2026.
We proposed changing effective dates for salary increases after successful completion of Reviews to the first day of the Fall semester (rather than September 1st); effective dates for any merit, equity, or retention increases would be changed to the first day of the Fall semester or first day of Winter semester.
We proposed that long-serving Lecturers receive an additional $2k salary increase in their 11th, 16th, 21st, 26th and 31st years.
We proposed that a Lecturer’s Full Time Rate shall not be decreased when moving between titles or between units (when staying at the same title).
MoU J: Leapfrogging
We defined leapfrogging and proposed steps to correct it, including an increase to the base salary of any affected Lecturer. This adjustment could occur for a Lecturer more than once during the life of the contract. We proposed calling a special conference in cases involving units that have a pattern of hiring above the minimum salary, and a $100k fund per year, administered by the Provost’s office, to mitigate differences. This MoU would not preclude Lecturers from requesting merit, equity, or retention raises.
Article XXIV: Professional Development
We proposed increased campus funds for Lecturer PD for the 2024-25 academic year: $100k in Ann Arbor, $50k in Dearborn, and $50k in Flint; this amount would increase by an additional $3k in each subsequent year. We proposed an increased maximum grant amount for an individual Lecturer: $3k per academic year. We proposed that Lecturers be eligible for the Humanities Summer Faculty Fellowship Program, and all internal UM grant programs that support DEIJ efforts and improvements in instruction.
MoU 3: Childcare
We proposed a childcare stipend for all Lecturers with children under the age of 6 (or 13, for children with disabilities); the stipend would be prorated according to a Lecturer’s employment fraction during the given term. In spring and summer, the amount would be prorated based on the number of months worked. Eligible child age limits would be increased in the event of public schools pivoting to online instruction in the school district where the Lecturer resides. We proposed that stipends be paid no later than the last working day in September, January, May, and July.
MoU 13: Pay Advance for First-Time Employees
We proposed improving new Lecturer access to information about how to receive an advance on the first month’s salary, by including a link in the LEO contract for the request form, and communicating to the new Lecturer this information and the link to the form in their initial appointment letter.
MoU G: Retirement Eligibility
We proposed making Intermittent Lecturers and LIs eligible for the Employer retirement contribution starting in the third semester of employment.
MoU I: Housing Committee
We proposed establishing a joint, standing committee to address rising housing costs in the Ann Arbor region. We proposed that this committee include representatives from student groups, campus unions, campus experts, representatives from the City of Ann Arbor Housing Authority, and persons from relevant UM administrative units. The committee would provide bi-annual reports and policy recommendations to the UM Regents and Administration.
MoU K: Tuition Support
We proposed that Lecturers with at least 50% full-time rate who have been Employees for at least one academic year be eligible to take one UM course (up to 5 credits) per semester or spring/summer half term free of charge. (This would only cover tuition; books, supplies, and other fees would not be covered under this program.)
That’s all from Friday, October 27th! Our future posts won’t be this detailed, but we wanted to entice all members to come to bargaining themselves to see all the action at the negotiations table. There will be no bargaining this Friday, November 3rd, but again be sure to come to Dearborn’s Bargaining Kickoff next Friday, November 10th!