Bargaining Update
Friday 3/29 was our seventh bargaining session. Our co-lead negotiator Dani Nyikos was unable to attend, so co-lead Rachel Fein-Smolinski was joined by Kay Emmert to fill in for Dani for the day. We presented our counterproposal for Hours of Work & Commitment, and the admin team presented their counters for Discipline & Dismissal, Health & Safety, and Physical Conditions & Institutional Commitments.
Our bargaining team continued to advocate for the issues that are most important to specialized faculty. Among these issues are (a) defining work expectations to combat overwork, and (b) allowing specialized faculty with terminal research degrees to serve as PI’s. The admin team’s lead negotiator tried to argue that these two stances are somehow contradictory, stating: “You say we should let you do your jobs, but you also say you don’t know what your jobs are.”
Our lead negotiators responded by acknowledging that with many different types of positions on campus, our members’ top priorities may be wide-ranging, and on their face may even seem contradictory. Kay said, “Please don’t diminish our members’ concerns by saying they are rhetorically contradictory.”
It was disappointing to hear such a facile oversimplification of our proposal, but we hope that the admin team will come to a fuller understanding of the issues. There’s no reason why specialized faculty with terminal research degrees shouldn’t be able to serve as PI’s. It is already the policy in Grainger, and the admin team has not offered any justification for why this policy that works for Grainger wouldn’t work in the other colleges.
The admin team also indicated that they do not plan to improve access to gender affirming care, as outlined in our proposal. For more information about why this matters, read this story on our website.
Fortunately, there is some good news: the admin team has indicated that they’ll bring an economic proposal (including wages, benefits, and leaves) at our next session. After 4 months of bargaining, we are ready to see their economic proposal!
How You Can Help
Now is the time to show that these issues are important to all specialized faculty- not just those of us who are on the bargaining team! With a strong show of support, we can send the message to the Board of Trustees and UIUC upper admin that specialized faculty deserve better.
Mark your calendar:
- Mon April 22, 3:10pm: UIUC Senate Meeting- Fund Your CBA’s
- Fri April 26, 9am-12pm: Pack the Room at Bargaining
- Thurs May 2, 10am-2pm: Reading Day Work-In and Solidarity Rally
Next Session: Pack the Room!
The UIUC admin team has committed to presenting an economic proposal, including wages, benefits, and leaves, in the next session. Join us there, to show support! We need as many people in the room as possible. We’d love to fill the room with specialized faculty, and members of the general public are welcome to come and support us as well. You can come late, leave early, or stay the whole time.
- Friday, April 26, 9am-12pm
- Location: Illini Union Ballroom
Want to be in the know?
Would you like to know more, including upcoming events and bargaining updates?
- Follow us on Instagram: @ntfc6546
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- Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/EpJNQXhX
In Solidarity
Theresa Dobbs
NTFC Communications Chair
