Negotiations Recap for November 16, 2012
This recap details the tenth bargaining session between the UW and AFT.
UW Presentation
UW put forth counter-proposals on various contract articles.
Key Points of UW’s Counter-Proposals
- Union Recognition
- UW proposed language to specify which employees are not included in the bargaining unit.
- Probationary Period
- UW tentatively agreed to AFT’s proposal to begin the probationary period when an extension lecturer is hired on at one-third of a full-time equivalent. UW proposed that courses taught as a summer-only instructor not count toward the probationary period.
- UW maintained its previous proposal for the remainder of the article.
- Contract Interpretation
- UW upheld its proposal to allow the IELP Operations Manual to govern in cases where contract is vague or silent, pointing out that it details many policies and procedures that are often not covered in union contracts.
AFT Counter-Proposals
- Seniority List
- AFT maintained its originally proposed language surrounding the IELP Seniority List.
- Benefits
- AFT maintained its originally proposed language outlining the benefits available to extension lecturers.
Tentative Agreements
- Article 26: Joint-Union Management Committee
- A committee consisting of up to three representatives designated by the union and three designated by UW will convene quarterly to discuss labor issues. This committee may meet more or less frequently as mutually agreed by the parties.
Further Dialogue
Hiring List Proposal
AFT voiced concern over UW’s proposal for IELP to utilize a merit-based “Hiring List” instead of the existing “Seniority List” as a means to assign teaching hours. AFT expressed that this could create instability by encouraging competition, and that it would be difficult to track.
UW explained that such a shift would more likely increase stability, as it would promote annual contracts for people who teach through the whole year. Also, by incorporating summer quarter into an annual contract, IELP could avoid the consistent shortage of instructors each summer.
Regarding tracking, UW explained that IELP already conducts annual merit assessments of all extension lecturers, and thus it would not create additional work.
Next Steps
The scheduling of the next UW/AFT bargaining session is currently being determined by the parties.