UNITED FACULTY OF FLORIDA
UFF FIU
RATIFICATION BULLETIN

WE HAVE REACHED TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON RAISES,
NEW TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ONLINE COURSES,
AND IMPROVED TUITION BENEFITS.

COME DISCUSS PROPOSED CHANGES TO YOUR UNION CONTRACT.
THEN CAST YOUR VOTE IN THE RATIFICATION ELECTION ON
SEPTEMBER 1 and SEPTEMBER 2.

After more than a year at the bargaining table, UFF FIU is pleased to announce that we have reached tentative agreement with the FIU administration on salary increases and other improvements in the rights and benefits provided by your UFF collective bargaining agreement. These changes are the result of bargaining over a limited number of articles and policies that we are allowed to re-open each year during the three years between bargaining over the full Collective Bargaining Agreement. All proposed changes to the existing language of the 2008-2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement are shown in the attachments. In all other respects, the language of the 2008-2011 CBA will remain unchanged until we reach a new three-year agreement. Bargaining on that new three-year, full book contract will begin in October 2010.

Here is a summary of the most important changes:

• Raises of either $2,000 or 2.5% of current salary, whichever is greater, effective the beginning of Academic Year 2010-2011 for all employees whose most recent annual evaluations were satisfactory or better
• Merit funds totaling one percent of the 2010-2011 bargaining unit payroll to be distributed in December 2011 as one-time merit bonuses according to departmental merit criteria
• Annual discretionary funds of up to one percent of the bargaining unit payroll each year through AY 2011-2012 that may be used by the administration to fund individual raises or bonuses recognizing special achievements, addressing market equity or compression/inversion considerations, compensating for increased duties and responsibilities, providing Summer Faculty Research Awards, or for counter-offers or litigation/settlements.
• Significant improvements in the Benefits Policy allowing employees' spouses, same-sex domestic partners and children to enroll for up to ten credits per semester tuition-free.
• Clear guidelines in the Benefits Policy insuring that a grant of emeritus status is given in recognition of past service to the university or the profession, according to departmental criteria and procedures and pursuant to a vote by departmental faculty
• New protections in the Assignments Policy insuring that employees will not be removed from assigned research labs during the first three years of the tenure-earning period or without at least six months' advance notice
• Clear criteria in the Assignments Policy concerning assignment, compensation and intellectual property rights in online courses. New contract language insures assignment parity, no matter whether online courses are taught in-load or as overload. Employees' copyrights in instructional materials used in online courses are protected, with limited use of such materials provided to the university only in exchange for extra compensation. Under the new contract language, no employee may be required to teach courses online.
• Changes to Article 18, Totality of Agreement, insure UFF's right to bargain proposed changes in all terms and conditions of employment whether or not they are included in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

All faculty and librarians in the UFF bargaining unit will have an opportunity to vote on whether to ratify the tentative agreements reached by the bargaining teams. Voting will take place on Wednesday, September 1st, and Thursday September 2nd, from 10 AM to 2 PM, at the Modesto Maidique Campus, the Biscayne Bay Campus and the Engineering Center.

Prior to the ratification election, UFF FIU President Kathleen Wilson and members of the UFF FIU Bargaining Team will be available to discuss the tentative agreements and answer any questions you may have. Open forums are scheduled for:

BBC Campus, LIB 319, Noon to 1:30, Tuesday, August 24th

MMC Campus, GL 220, Noon to 1:30, Wednesday, August 25th

Please join us for a light lunch and a chance to discuss the contract revisions. These sessions are open to all faculty and librarians in the UFF bargaining unit, not just to UFF members. If you cannot attend, but have questions or comments, please call UFF FIU at ext. 7-3212 or e-mail UFF-FIU President Kathleen Wilson at kathleen.wilson@uff-fiu.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

Our strength at the bargaining table is based on the strength of our membership. If you have not yet joined UFF, now is the time to become part of your union. If you are already a member, ask a colleague to join. Membership forms are available at uff-fiu.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kathleen L. Wilson
Chapter President
United Faculty of Florida
Florida International University
Miami, FL 33199
(305) 348-3212

www.uff-fiu.org

JOIN NOW!