Status of Negotiations with ACT-UAW Local 7902 As Contract Expires
We wanted to give you an update on negotiations with ACT-UAW Local 7902 regarding the contract for our part-time faculty. As of midnight, our contract with Local 7902 expired and no agreement has been reached. The union spent nearly 12 hours of the parties’ 15 hour negotiations session on Sunday, November 13 preparing proposals, only to come to the table unwilling to present proposals to the university on issues of great import to part-time faculty, like wages. The university offered to meet with the union every day this week to continue negotiations, but the union only confirmed its availability for Tuesday. It outright rejected meeting at any time on Monday, November 14 and refused to confirm its availability at any time during the rest of the week. Therefore the university and union will meet again to negotiate on Tuesday.
We still believe that the union and the university could benefit immensely from the help of a mediator from the Federal Mediation And Conciliation Service. The university continues to welcome the use of a mediator, as we all have a responsibility to do everything possible to get to a positive outcome. The union, on the other hand, continues to demonstrate an unwillingness to mediate or take any affirmative good faith steps toward reaching agreement.
We will continue to make ourselves available and come to the bargaining table prepared to exchange proposals and to work with the union to reach a strong, fair, and financially responsible new agreement for our part-time faculty.