Today our UC-AFT Unit 17 Librarian table team met with the University for our 20th bargaining session. Since our first bargaining session at UC San Diego back in November of last year, we’re averaging 2 bargaining sessions a month—which has helped us accomplish so much! But as bargaining today reminded us, we still have some distance to cover before we can come to an agreement on a new contract. Instead of our usual grid of Zoom boxes, we’re sharing a picture of UC-AFT librarians at a union rally from 1993 to reflect how far back in time the University’s proposals want to take us.
Today the University presented their counters to the economic articles including 13 (Salary). We also had some very illuminating table talk about their intended revisions to APM 360-4, getting more details about what their issues with the current definition therein is: they don’t think it accurately reflects the role of UC librarians engaging in research and creative activity (which they’ve said before), and instruction (this is new at the table). The University said they think the definition of librarian from the 1980s is more fitting now than the current APM 360-4 (from 2016). Read on for all the details!
University Proposals
Article 13 – Salary
We’ve been waiting about a month for the University’s next proposal on salary. Recall that UC-AFT’s August 12 counter focused on three aspects:
- Librarians should receive a 7% salary adjustment at ratification, with retroactive application to July 1, 2024;
- Librarians should receive a 5% annual increase each year over a four-year contract;
- Librarians should get “me-too” salary matches to any increases offered to non-represented librarians.
Today, the University’s counter included the following:
- A match (at ratification) to the non-represented salary scale, meaning a 6.85% increase;
- A one-time lump sum payment of $1,250 (at ratification) for each full-time librarian (and $675 for any librarian working less than full-time);
- A 3% annual increase each year for the last four years of a five-year contract.
The University refused to accept UC-AFT’s “me-too” language. Union members will be reaching out to discuss this proposal with colleagues, via 1-on-1 conversations and a/or a short survey. Be prepared to share how you feel about these numbers, and please talk to your fellow librarians to make sure they also know about the proposals!
Other Economic Proposals – Articles 14 (University Benefits), 21 (Vacation) & 22 (Holidays)
The University reverted to their previous counter proposals on each of these articles.
Article 32 – Flexible Work Arrangements
UC-AFT’s last proposal demanded that the procedures and timelines for requesting flexible work arrangements should be grievable and arbitrable. The University’s counter only permits UC-AFT to grieve violations regarding timelines. There was also some clarification at the table of how supervisors figure into the “local procedures” process and who has the authority to deny requests for alternative arrangements.
UC-AFT Proposals
Article 29 – Waiver
During the month of August, we made a lot of progress on this article with the University. The framework of the Waiver provides clear pathways and processes for the University to notify us of policy changes and APM revisions, the timelines for UC-AFT to respond and provide input, and when effects bargaining will take place. Our counter had some minor edits to fix some formatting and enumeration errors, but otherwise we’re nearly in agreement. However, our vision for how the Waiver provision should function is somewhat dependent upon crucial provisions about librarians’ academic status and role, and thus tied to key aspects of our proposals on Articles 4 and Academic Freedom.
Article 4 – Definition, Criteria, Terms of Service for Appointment, Merit Increase, Promotion and Career Status
During our entire bargaining campaign, UC-AFT has asserted that the definition of librarian articulated in Article 4 should be updated to match what’s currently in APM 360-4. And we were poised with a clear pathway for how UC-AFT would engage in consultation and also effects bargaining when the University decides to revise the APM.
But now the University wishes to (again) return to current contract language, which unfortunately reflects an outdated definition of academic librarian work at the UC. As a reminder, the contract currently has the previous definition of librarian in APM 360-4, which was codified in the 1980s, and does not reflect subsequent technological advances or the current, industry accepted approaches for academic librarianship. What’s more, they continue to hint at disturbing policy changes on the horizon that could negatively affect librarians engaged in research and instruction.
Article X – Academic Freedom
We again passed our AF article and again explained that it is based on APM-011, with minor modifications that relate specifically to librarians. The University remains resistant to providing in our contract for these important protections and obligations of librarians as academics. They countered with a re-pass of their prior proposal that merely refers to APM-011 (which the University may change at their discretion, and which we can only bargain the effects of those changes, whatever they may be).
Upcoming Bargaining: September 24 at UC Irvine
Your table team will return to the table in person at UC Irvine on September 24. We are getting very close to agreement and we could use support in the room to ensure the University takes negotiating seriously – Instead of their current tactic of just repassing the same proposals month after month. Bargaining will take place in the Langson Library, Caroline A. Laudati Conference Room 570. If you’re a librarian, lecturer, or ally, join us in the room to observe!
In solidarity,
The UC-AFT Unit 17 Table Team
Kendra K. Levine, Bay Area, Chief Negotiator
I-Wei Wang, Bay Area
Timothy Vollmer, Bay Area
Jared Campbell, Davis
Mitchell Brown, Irvine
Xaviera Flores, Los Angeles
Miki Goral, Los Angeles
Joy Holland, Los Angeles
Jerrold Shiroma, Merced
Carla Arbagey, Riverside
Michael Yonezawa, Riverside
Tori Maches, San Diego
Laurel McPhee, San Diego
Jenny Reiswig, San Diego
Kristen LaBonte, Santa Barbara
Alix Norton, Santa Cruz
Tamara Pilko, Santa Cruz
Jess Waggoner, Santa Cruz