ACT-UAW – Part-Time Faculty Successor Contract Negotiations Update: Session #12
The New School and representatives for ACT-UAW, Local 7902, kicked off three, consecutive, full-day bargaining sessions at 8:00 am today (Wednesday, October 12). Informed by direct union feedback at these sessions, the university plans to provide full responses to all of Local 7902’s proposals by the end of the three meetings this week.
Today’s session included productive discussions on a number of important issues, including: professional development, classroom expenses, tuition benefits, faculty rights, intellectual property, meeting space, and union leave. Notably, the university highlighted conceptual areas of mutual agreement with the union, including expanding professional development opportunities for part-time faculty.
In total, 17 articles were discussed with the university presenting its initial positions verbally and getting feedback on each from the union. That feedback is now being addressed in written proposals that will be presented at Thursday’s (tomorrow’s) session. This approach allows the university to hear initial thoughts from the union, highlight common points of agreement, and factor all of this into our written proposal for formal review.
Having covered substantial ground, the session ended late this afternoon with the university getting the union’s agreement to spend the remaining time today incorporating the day’s conversations into the written proposals. Both bargaining teams will reconvene tomorrow morning at 8:00 to discuss the remaining non-economic proposals and written responses for the 17 articles addressed today.We look forward to making more progress tomorrow as we work together to reach a strong and fair new contract as quickly as possible that provides part-time faculty with increased pay, strong benefits, and an even more effective environment in which to plan, teach, research, and create.