Lecturer Bargaining Update: Bargaining Recap for 4/30/21

“If you’re not mad, you’re not paying attention.” 

The day started off well, with Tentative Agreements on Job Security & Layoffs, which extend recall rights for longer-serving lecturers and guarantee an interview for open positions in the bargaining unit to qualified lecturers on full layoff. This is especially needed to address the recent unprecedented layoffs in Dearborn and Flint. The MoU and Article XII also obligate HR to help laid off lecs find positions outside the bargaining unit at UM.

In the morning we also presented a counter-proposal on Title IX, which basically says the employer and the Union will follow the law. Management gave us an ever so slightly modified counter in the afternoon. We hope to TA this one next time.

Admin gave us proposals on Computers and MoU #12 (diversity in hiring). We made progress on both, although on Computers we still seek a stronger right of individual access to a working computer. 

Admin finally gave us their first counter on our International proposals after we introduced them on January 22nd, more than three months ago. It was extremely underwhelming, essentially a return to the status quo. No group orientation for new hires on visas and no reimbursement for legally required travel for work authorization, i.e., visa renewal. LEO’s International Caucus will convene to discuss. If you’d like to participate, please write to international@leounion.org.

In the afternoon, admin gave us their proposal on Professional Development, which grants one additional meeting per year of the committee reviewing fund requests and permits unused funds to be rolled over to the next year. We continue to be very far apart on the money put into the fund.

Admin also finally gave us their counter-proposal on COVID Impact. We made some progress but it was mostly disappointing. We can request short-term modality changes during non-emergencies, and modality requests can qualify as a disability accommodation (which is nothing more than the U agreeing to follow the law). Plus, they agreed to let lecturers discount “negative or uncharacteristically low” student evaluations during emergencies. 

However, admin struck out the rest of our COVID Impact proposals. No additional pay to convert classes, no right to contest modality assignment, and no seat at the table during an emergency. No protection against out-sourcing of lecturer work. Instead, admin offered a special conference for the Union to discuss the  impact of A FUTURE EMERGENCY on our working conditions,which means we would not be permitted to discuss Fall 2021 nor would the employer commit to address the concerns we raised. We conveyed our frustration at the table!

Last Friday captured our mounting frustration with the administration's tactics. We’ve compromised, we’ve signed TAs, while admin takes months to hand back proposals that are completely crossed out. 

As we said at the table, we have a strong interest in finishing this contract sooner than later. Management says they share that goal. We sincerely hope they start acting like it.

There will be no negotiations this Friday. We are taking a rest after a long semester. The next session will be Community Bargaining on 5/14. Allies are welcome 12-3pm. You can register at bit.ly/LEOBargaining4. Lecturers and our community need to show up in big numbers. Please share the registration link with students, tenure-track colleagues, family, and friends.

A rendering of the disappointed faces made by lecturers and Bargaining Team members during Zoom bargaining.