Greetings UFE Members. This is a reminder of our membership meeting on Friday, Feb. 3 from 5-6:30 p.m. in Sem2, B-1107. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss our upcoming bargaining survey and priorities, sabbaticals, MYC process, DACA actions, to name a few topics.
We sure hope you can attend this important meeting.
Thanks all,
Grace Huerta, UFE Chair
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Fall Quarter Update, 2016
Greetings UFE Members. As you know, this has been a very challenging quarter on a number of fronts. Nevertheless, together the Coordinating Committee and Stewards Council have been engaged in a number of union activities this fall.
They activities include:
UFE membership drive. With our new dues schedule in place this fall, the Coordinating Committee (CC) and Stewards Council (SC) actively invited faculty to join the UFE. In 9 weeks, we have increased our membership by 10 percent. Please contact your union leadership about other faculty members who may be interested in joining.
Provost search candidate meetings. This quarter, the CC met with both provost candidates. Our interactions focused on how our next chief academic officer will provide College leadership and address contract implementation. We also wanted to convey to the candidates that we are proud of the CBA, a body of work that represents a shared, collaborative effort by the UFE and administration since the union’s founding 10 years ago. Both parties own the CBA, a document whose language represents our shared commitment to the College and the students we serve.
After meeting with both candidates, the CC discussed their strengths specific to their collective-bargaining experience and work pertaining to union matters. While we have not ranked the candidates, we do recognize that each person offers different skills. Dr. Colleen Greer established her experiences working within a union framework and impressed us with her collaboration with tribal learning communities. She also expressed a familiarity with our CBA. Dr. Jennifer Drake impressed us with her experiences working across disciplines and programs. While she did not express a familiarity with our CBA, she articulated her commitment to faculty advocacy. Our CC agreed that Dr. Drake should not be ruled out because of her unfamiliarity with the contract.
Monthly meetings interim provost w/Ken Tabbutt. Ken and I have met regularly this quarter to discuss topics relevant to faculty working conditions. In the spirit of keeping the lines of communication open, we have discussed a number of issues such as grievance procedures, faculty working conditions and upcoming initiatives (i.e. Equity Council strategic plan). We hope to continue these meetings next quarter.
Multiyear contracts 2017 follow-up. We have also been in communication with the administration and deanery regarding the multiyear contract application process. We are concerned about the deans allowing enough time to meet the Feb. 1. 2017 deadline in conjunction with planning units. We are watching how the process unfolds. Please see Article 10.2 in the current CBA for more details: https://www.ufevergreen.org/collective-bargaining-agreement/. Here is an excerpt from Article 10.2 regarding the process:
10.2.2(a) Curricular Need and a Predictable Curriculum. The areas in which multi-year contracts are considered each year are based on curricular need, reflected by past and anticipated enrollment and the desire to provide a predictable curriculum. Each year, Deans will invite Planning Units to discuss and make recommendations regarding academic areas where ongoing demand suggests multi-year contracts would be needed to support and strengthen the curriculum.
Recommendations should include the duration of the anticipated need and the academic level and number of credits for contracts that would help meet the curricular need. Based on recommendations received and on their own assessment of the curriculum, the Deans will develop a list of areas where multi-year contracts may be offered. The Deans will share this list with the Planning Unit Coordinators.
10.2.2(b) Application. By February 1 of the year before a multiyear contract is being requested or requested for renewal, the adjunct faculty member submits a letter of application for a multiyear contract to the deans. The application will include a current CV, a retrospective self-evaluation, and the adjunct member’s portfolio.
10.2.2(c) Review. After February 1, the deans will convene a multi-year contract review committee including the EWS dean, a curriculum dean, and five regular faculty selected from a diverse pool of regular faculty members on continuing appointment identified by the Faculty Agenda Committee. The purpose of the meeting is to review the applications and to make recommendations to the dean for or against the award of a multi-year contract for each applicant. Criteria informing the recommendations shall include the list identified in 10.2.2(a), the responsibilities of an Evergreen faculty member as defined in Article 6 of this agreement and documented in the faculty member’s portfolio, and the usual criteria considered by hiring committees. By the end of winter quarter, the college will make offers, taking into consideration the recommendations of the committee, and informing the committee in writing of its rationale should the offers differ from the recommendations. Management’s judgment about the likelihood of future enrollment and financial resources to fulfill the contract may affect the number and scope of contracts offered.
Undocumented students & DACA legal support. While the UFE has made a formal request to President Bridges to designate TESC as a sanctuary campus, we have not received a response. We understand there are a variety of responses and directions the college can take and are certainly keeping an eye on TESC’s response, as well as other other responses from members of the United Faculty of Washington State (TESC, Eastern, Western and Central universities). The UFE is also working in collaboration with TESC’s Latinx Standing Committee and our own student group, MEXA. In the meantime, the UFE is seeking to develop legal support contacts for undocumented Evergreen students in Olympia. Stay tuned for more information..
Preliminary discussions regarding upcoming bargaining sessions. In the winter quarter, 2017 we will survey faculty about their collective bargaining priorities. While some faculty have been in communication with the CC this fall about various issues and concerns, we hope to invite more input as we begin preparations for our upcoming collective bargaining sessions in 2017.
This is a brief update of our endeavors this fall. Best wishes during evaluation week. Thank you for your hard work this quarter.
In solidarity,
Grace Huerta, UFE Chair
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New UFE Dues Schedule & Rep Fee Update, Sept. 2016
Greetings United Faculty of Evergreen. Welcome back! The UFE Coordinating Committee (CC) and Stewards Council (SC) look forward to working with you this year. As the 2016-17 academic year begins, we are now in the second year of a two-year collective bargaining agreement. All faculty received a 3% salary increase this fall. That is 6% from our 2014-16 CBA!
As our union nears its 10th anniversary on October 31st, we will continue to work on representing all Evergreen faculty in effective ways. In response to feedback from our members, we will address two major priorities in 2016-2017: first, the implementation of a new, more equitable dues structure to support new members, and; second, the preparation for another round of collective bargaining. The current contract expires in August 2017, so we are likely to start negotiations in winter 2017. We will begin preparations this fall, with leadership provided by our Bargaining Chair, Jon Davies.
Our dues structure is based on income brackets, promoting equity and encouraging new faculty and current faculty who are not members to join the UFE. This new structure is as follows:
| United Faculty of WA State-TESC Chapter Dues Structure and Rates 2016-17 | ||||||
| $75K + | $803.00 | annually, or | $40.15 | per pay period (20) | ||
| $60K – 74,999K | $672.00 | annually, or | $33.60 | per pay period (20) | ||
| $50K – 59,999K | $550.00 | annually, or | $27.50 | per pay period (20) | ||
| $40K – 49,999K | $392.00 | annually, or | $19.60 | per pay period (20) | ||
| Below 40K | $243.00 | annually, or | $12.15 | per pay period (20) | ||
This dues structure replaces the previous framework that was based on faculty categories. This fall, we will also ask the UFE Stewards to be a major part to ensure that the new dues structure is a success. They will be meeting with faculty and request their feedback about bargaining priorities, as well as to invite them to join the UFE. With new Stewards Coordinator, John Baldridge leading the way, the CC & SC will conduct important one-on-one outreach to our colleagues. We will survey faculty and hold forums to invite input regarding collective bargaining priorities.
With our focus on these initiatives – the new dues structure, membership recruitment, and bargaining preparation – the UFE Coordinating Committee has decided not to implement the representation fee for the 2016-17 academic year. Instead, join the UFE!
Why join? Over the last 10 years, the union has delivered tremendous benefits and support to all faculty. What are some of the gains and initiatives the UFE has made since 2006?
- 5% wage increase for all faculty in 2008-10, plus additional pay increases for adjunct faculty
- 5% wage increase for all faculty in 2013-14
- 3% wage increase for all faculty in 2015-16
- 3% wage increase for all faculty in 2016-17
- We continue to bargain and administer the CBA through contract negotiations and ongoing labor/management meetings
- Strong grievance procedure, including due process rights for all faculty members
- Revisions to the waiver policy regarding teaching partners and lower division teaching commitments
- Protection of sabbatical lines
- Protection of class sizes and reduction in the student-faculty ratio for first-year students through 2017
- Restoration of summer institute funding in 2015-17
- Expansion of parental leave to include all parents, regardless of gender
- Expansion of medical leave for adjunct faculty
- Increased job security for adjuncts through the establishment of multi-year contracts
- One-time transition of 6 long-term, ½-time EWS faculty beginning in 2016
- Opportunity for further transition of long-term EWS adjunct faculty in 2017-18
- One-time conversion of 4 long-time adjunct faculty members to regular status in 2008
- The creation of The UFE Memorial Fund, in honor of our founding UFE faculty members, Jose Gomez and Zahid Shariff
- The creation of the UFE Scholarship Fund
- Ongoing support of community and education partnerships through the UFE Solidarity Fund
In addition, UFE members and new faculty are invited to learn more about our ongoing work and share ideas together. Join us at our fall social. Please save the date of Friday, Oct. 7 from 5-7 where we will host our fall gathering in Olympia (more info will be provided via off-campus email). The guest speaker will be Bill Lyne from Western Washington University and President of the United Faculty of Washington State (this includes our sister unions, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, as well as Western Washington University).
Finally, thanks for your support of the UFE as we seek to increase our membership and bargain for an even better contract this academic year. Together, we will continue to support student success while advancing faculty work and the College’s academic mission.
Please feel free to contact us directly if you have ideas or questions.
In solidarity,
The UFE Coordinating Committee
Grace Huerta, Chair; John Davies, Vice-chair & Bargaining Team Chair; John Baldridge, Stewards Coodinator; Marla Elliott, Treasurer; Laurie Meeker, Communications Coordinator; Stephen Beck & Al Josephy, At- Large Representatives.