Session 28: We offered two contracts—a one year, and a three year
Today, we got back to the bargaining table and offered the College two different comprehensive packages—either of which the College could have agreed to in order to end the strike today.
First, we passed a three-year duration comprehensive agreement with a status quo workload. This proposal includes a side-letter suggesting the establishment of a Working Group to help the College consider how a revised course-load for bargaining unit members (BUEs) would affect the community upon implementation. We proposed a starting salary of $83,000, which corrects for inflation from the $55,000 starting salary freeze in 2008.
Next, we passed to the College a revised version of the one-year contract that we had previously emailed to them which brings us even closer to agreement. In our revised one-year proposal, we moved significantly on compensation, proposing a starting salary of $78,000, understanding that this one-year contract, with agreed upon workload, is intended to get our members back to work today, with the ability to negotiate salary in the future. Both contracts propose the status quo for workload—a five-course load for visiting BUEs and a four-course load for continuing BUEs, who have additional job duties of advising, service, and professional development.
While both sides would prefer a longer contract duration, we consider the one-year contract a compromise given that workload is a persistent sticking point. The College has already committed to the status quo workload for next year – the duration of our proposed one-year contract. And as it stands, the College cannot explain to our members why a substantial change in our workload is necessary, nor how they would reallocate the important advising and mentoring work that we provide for our students.
To that end, our proposed working-group would analyze how a five course load would impact the College community and provide recommendations to the College for developing a proposal that would be agreeable to both Parties (see page 65 of this document for the side letter). For example, the working group would consider how the reallocation of our labor – including major and minor advising, senior thesis and independent study advising, student support, committee work, and time intensive labs and courses – would affect students, tenure stream faculty, departments, and the curriculum. This working group would consist of BUEs, tenure stream faculty, and others impacted by this change to the status quo.
After a caucus, the College offered back a one-page list of concepts assuming a five-course workload. While we are taking this concept list from the College into consideration, we believe that our proposed Working Group, consisting of community members, would more fully address the concerns of our members, not least of which is how we could maintain the excellent learning environment that has developed over decades.
The College proposed tentatively agreeing to 10 articles, which had previously been in packages on both sides. Both the College and the Union have been bargaining in packages, which facilitates compromise. In a package, we indicate we are willing to move on some articles in exchange for movement from the College on others. When proposals are linked in a package, all articles in the package must be accepted in order to reach a tentative agreement, otherwise they revert to the previous standalone versions of the proposals.
The College pulled the following articles from packages and offered to tentatively agree (TA) to them: in a package of three, Management Rights, Union Security, and No Strikes/No Lockouts; and as standalones, Professional Development; Evaluations and Performance Review; Promotion; Dependent Care; Retirement; Tuition and Fees; and Insurance. This list of articles does not include all of the articles the Union and College have signalled agreement on within packages—for example, their offer did not include Titles.
After we caucused, we reached a tentative agreement on Professional Development, which maintains our members’ access to all existing funds and opportunities. We also offered back a package of three articles for tentative agreement: Titles, Tuition and Fees, and Dependent Care. From our perspective, we have made significant movement on Tuition and Fees as well as Dependent Care, and Titles, which the College had not offered for stand-alone agreement. In addition to not costing the College any money, agreement on Titles would resolve disagreements throughout the Contract anywhere titles are mentioned. The College did not agree to TA this package in session and we look forward to hearing their response.
We also explained why we are unable to TA the other articles the College suggested:
Management Rights and No Strikes/No Lockouts govern the entire Contract, and will need to be agreed to in the context of a complete agreement.
Retirement and Insurance require agreement on what counts as 0.5 Full-Time Equivalent, which requires agreement on Workload
Evaluations and Performance Review outlines what work we are evaluated on, which we negotiate with Workload
Promotion is negotiated in the context of Compensation, which has not yet been agreed upon.
We hope the College will seriously consider both comprehensive proposals we presented today. Students deserve the education they were promised and we want to be back with them in the classroom as soon as possible.
Here’s what you can do to help:
Urge the College to do the right thing and agree to one of our comprehensive proposals. Every day that passes, students lose the education they were promised.
Everyone:
Continue calling and emailing the President, Provost, and Board of Trustees to demand the College agree to either of our proposed contracts and end the strike.
Join us on the picket line every weekday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM!
Alums:
Don’t cross our picket line! Let the College know that you will not attend events or reunion unless we reach an agreement. Use this link (updated from our last update) to sign this letter from alums in support of our campaign.
If you want help organizing or connecting with other alums, email woaw.uaw@gmail.com and we will connect you
Parents:
Continue calling and emailing the President, Provost, and Board of Trustees every day to demand a refund for your child’s lost education and to demand they reach an agreement that maintains the quality of the education Wellesley has promised.
In solidarity,
Katie Hall (‘84)
Christa Skow
Erin Battat
Deb Bauer (‘03)
Mike Mavros
WOAW-UAW Bargaining Committee