AAUP-UD Membership Ratifies New CBA
In the vote for ratification of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, 582 ballots were distributed. When voting ended at 5pm on April 5, 2017, the final vote was 412 to accept and 38 to reject.
Negotiations for the new contract were long and arduous. The AAUP Bargaining Team and the University Bargaining Team had twenty-two meetings over a period of more than a year. The AAUP faced initial proposals from the University that would have terminated key retirement benefits and provided minimal salary increases. Over the course of negotiations, efforts to find common ground in order to minimize concessions on retirement benefits and to afford the faculty reasonable salary increases were successful. Through this process, the AAUP leadership and Bargaining Team held meetings with the Steering Committee and Department representatives both to keep them informed about proposals and counter proposals, and to take stock of their views and concerns. In addition, we held four open faculty meetings and updated the faculty on the negotiations by email.
The AAUP leadership is grateful to the increasing membership for their ideas and support during these contract negotiations, as well as their expressions of concerns about specifics of the new CBA. Without our concerted effort through collective bargaining to maintain and improve compensation and protections for the faculty, our conditions of employment would have greatly deteriorated. As we move forward, it is crucial that Steering Committee members, Department representatives, and individual faculty members stay involved in the implementation of the provisions of the new CBA.
The AAUP is the only legally authorized organization on campus that represents the entire full-time faculty and only full-time faculty. To be our best as a strong advocate for faculty interests and academic values, the AAUP needs continued growth of membership and invites the active participation of all faculty members. If you are not a member, please join by submitting the attached form. If you are a member, contact the AAUP leadership for ways you can get involved. Together, we can create our vision for the future of the University.
