Lecturer Bargaining Update: Bargaining Recap for 3/29/2024
Last Friday’s bargaining session was frustrating for the team and the members as admin made two steps forward and one step back on important issues like notice and layoff dates and salary. In their counter proposals they maintained their stance on May 15th notice dates for appointments, refusing to include partial leaves in the contract, and moved some on increasing the professional development fund.
On partial leaves they have continued to cross out all language we put forward and maintain that the discretionary leave benefit for long serving lecturers is limited to one semester. Professional development funds saw an increase from $42,500 in their last offer to $52,500 in the first year in Ann Arbor and from $23,000 to $27,500 in Dearborn and Flint. In their offer, Ann Arbor's pot would increase by $2500 each year while Dearborn and Flint stay the same. They’ve agreed to the $2500 max per lecturer each year and moved the meeting requirement for the review committee to 3 meetings per year with the option to add more if necessary.
In their salary counter we saw no movement in longevity increases, major review minimums, or minimum salaries. They’ve offered 5% per year for the first 3 years and 4% in year 4 in Ann Arbor; their offer for annual raises in Dearborn and Flint is only 2.25% per year, with a $500 lump sum bonus to all lecturers who have an appointment in the Fall semester. This is 2% more in Ann Arbor and only 0.25% more in Dearborn and Flint.
In response, the Union Council has called for members to sign on to a strike pledge and commitment to a fair contract! Check out the UC statement for more details.
Our team remains committed and passed back proposals on DEI funds and the International Assistance Fund, which we believe is nearing agreement.
Additionally, we passed a package proposal on Teaching Professor and Governance that would drop our Governance proposal if we were able to agree to our remaining demands. We are still asking for the ability to grant Teaching Professor titles for hiring and retention and offering the opportunity for eligible lecturers to apply if they missed the deadline during the previous contracts implementation. It is a package so if they say no, Governance is back on the table. This proposal was accompanied by remarks from Regent Illitch and Brown that were shared at the Regents meeting last Thursday.
We are turning up the heat and here are three important ways you can contribute:
Register and attend Open Bargaining this Friday, April 5th! We will meet again at Palmer Commons with allies joining from 10a-1p. We’ll meet at the table from 10a-noon and then move to lunch and a march to Ruthven. Encourage allies to RSVP/attend.
Members: sign the strike pledge! If you have any questions please reach out.
Sign the Open Letter to UM Admin in support of more money for Flint and Dearborn.
Be sure to follow our proposals on LEO’s Public Proposal Tracker.
If you join bargaining on Zoom, make sure to change your profile picture and Zoom background to our new RED designs!
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. Email your steward or LEO staff to join!
We’re only as strong as our collective efforts! Members can learn about and join one of LEO’s many committees.
Please share any photos or videos you might’ve taken at LEO events with communications@leounion.org.
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