First thing’s first: our NEXT (final?!?! Maybe!!) bargaining session is THIS FRIDAY, 10/19, from 9:00AM-12:00PM. If you want any better than what we’ve got now, you better show up, because it won’t happen without YOUR help!!
Last Time, on Glee…
Was that reference too old? It’s been a long day. But boy, we’ve got a lot to update you on! FSU’s bargaining team offered us a TWO YEAR CONTRACT. This comes with upsides and downsides, of course.
FIRST, let’s look at the positives:
$1,000 bonus this Fall (2021) semester (before winter break)
$500 bonus Spring (2022) semester (before summer term)
The minimum stipend increases to $16,000 before Spring (2022)
The minimum stipend increases AGAIN to $16,250 before Fall (2022)
A 1% PERMANENT raise next Fall (2022) for EVERYBODY (so whatever your current stipend is, take 1% of it and add it to your current stipend. That’s what you’ll be making next Fall).
ONE week extra pay, EACH semester, before the start of courses (if your department isn’t already paying you for prep time)
FSU will cover the $166 increase in health insurance premiums this year, and then…
…lock in that SAME percentage of coverage for NEXT year (2022-2023)
NO limitations on outside employment
Additional language giving victims of domestic abuse paid time off for medical treatment/legal appointments/&c.
Language codifying work-from-home and other accommodations for people who are caregivers or disabled themselves.
Plus everything else we’ve already sent you emails about, obviously
Okay, but let’s talk about the downsides:
This would lock us into a 2 year contract. That means a) we couldn’t negotiate higher raises or minimum stipends next year (2022), as well as…
…b) we couldn’t negotiate ANYTHING else next year. We’d have a year of no bargaining
(If something crazy like COVID happens, we can still open emergency “impact” bargaining)
No paid leave for new parents
No fee relief
No tuition waivers
And no option to change those things for the next 2 years.
That’s a lot to think about, and only a few days to do it! So look, we want to hear from YOU. Email bargaining and tell us what YOU think. We’re in the final days now, so speak now or forever hold your peace (or at least, complain about us behind our backs, where we can’t hear).
We’ll be available in our “caucus room” for 30 minutes before bargaining. There, we will go over exactly what we’re presenting in more detail with you, so we can receive feedback from YOU, the members. We want to make sure we are representing YOUR concerns, priorities, and demands. So come to caucus at 8:30 to make your voice heard, and then we will head over to the “main” bargaining room at 9:00 to present those demands to the FSU administration! Looking forward to seeing you all at bargaining this Friday. Remember: united we bargain, divided we beg! In Solidarity, Vincenza Antonetta Berardo Chief Negotiator & Bargaining Chair