Negotiations Recap for July 22, 2013
This recap details the 23rd bargaining session between the UW and AFT.
AFT Counter-Proposals
- Management Rights
- AFT again declined UW’s proposal to memorialize IELP management’s right to define criteria for performance expectations. AFT proposed language memorializing IELP management’s right to make final decisions to ensure that course instruction retains program standards, while omitting “academic matters” from the scope of such decisions.
- Personnel Files
- AFT proposed language to spell out that archived materials from an extension lecturer’s personnel file may be subject to public records requests as well as use in third party legal action.
Package Proposal
AFT presented the following two proposals as a package, whereby both would need to be accepted in their entirety:
- Leaves of Absence
- AFT maintained its proposal to grant extension lecturers one additional paid personal day off per quarter.
- Union Rights
- AFT proposed to remove language that would assign a process by which employees could request leaves of absence to participate in union-related activities. AFT withdrew its proposal to require management to provide the union with a locked filing cabinet.
Further Dialogue
UW acknowledged both parties’ interest in reaching a deal as soon as possible, and pointed out that wage increases for the current year have been secured by all other union-represented UW employees. UW emphasized the importance of wages increases becoming available to extension lecturers, too, as a matter of fairness as well as broader institutional policy.
UW indicated that most provisions that remain open have been discussed at length, and suggested that the parties consider utilizing more comprehensive offers in an effort to reach a final settlement sooner.
Next Steps
The next UW-AFT bargaining session is scheduled for July 29.