Next week, many public education stakeholders will be in Tallahassee advocating for education funding. On Thursday, March 25th the Florida PTA will hold a rally at the Capital complex. Since we can’t bring all of our members to Tallahassee next week, we’re using technology to allow them to participate in a rally in cyberspace.
On Friday FEA will launch an electronic campaign to engage both our members and the public in a VIRTUAL RALLY to make sure that Florida Legislators Keep the Promise and Make Our Schools a Priority.
Here is what you can do to support the efforts in Tallahassee and make the Virtual Rally a success.
Encourage members to do the following:
· Wear RED on Thursday, March 25th
· log on to the Make Our Schools a Priority website on Thursday, March 25th at 4:00 p.m.
· sign the online Keep the Promise petition
· call and e-mail legislators to urge them to KEEP THE PROMISE!
This legislative session has the potential to do more damage to our public schools than any session in recent history –we are facing attacks on collective bargaining, due process, a rollback of the class size amendment, a raid on our retirement and, yes, more funding cuts.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
FGCU Salary Dispute
News release from UFF, 3/17/10
12:52 P.M. — Florida Gulf Coast University's board of trustees and the faculty union will have their disagreements over salaries, bargaining rights and benefits heard by a magistrate.
The union announced earlier today that it was at an impasse with FGCU officials after more than a year of bargaining over the 2009 fall contract.
"The problem is we are a relatively new University whose faculty work on multi-year contracts and without the attraction of tenure," said. Madelyn Isaacs, president of the FGCU chapter of United Faculty of Florida. "Now additionally, faculty lose money every year they remain at FGCU when the administration hires new and less experienced faculty at salaries at or higher than the salaries of faculty who have been here for years and have more experience and accomplishments to their credit. The University isn't rewarding years of teaching, service, and scholarship. Our proposals sought to stem the growing inequity in compensation, which currently sends a message to senior faculty that they need to leave FGCU to be valued. This simply isn't a good way to build and retain a quality faculty."
The impasse will be reviewed by Florida Public Employees Relations Commission. The commission's magistrate will recommend resolutions to the impasse. Those recommendations will go to the board of trustees and faculty for ratification. The magistrate's impasse hearing will be held at FGCU, the union said.
12:52 P.M. — Florida Gulf Coast University's board of trustees and the faculty union will have their disagreements over salaries, bargaining rights and benefits heard by a magistrate.
The union announced earlier today that it was at an impasse with FGCU officials after more than a year of bargaining over the 2009 fall contract.
"The problem is we are a relatively new University whose faculty work on multi-year contracts and without the attraction of tenure," said. Madelyn Isaacs, president of the FGCU chapter of United Faculty of Florida. "Now additionally, faculty lose money every year they remain at FGCU when the administration hires new and less experienced faculty at salaries at or higher than the salaries of faculty who have been here for years and have more experience and accomplishments to their credit. The University isn't rewarding years of teaching, service, and scholarship. Our proposals sought to stem the growing inequity in compensation, which currently sends a message to senior faculty that they need to leave FGCU to be valued. This simply isn't a good way to build and retain a quality faculty."
The impasse will be reviewed by Florida Public Employees Relations Commission. The commission's magistrate will recommend resolutions to the impasse. Those recommendations will go to the board of trustees and faculty for ratification. The magistrate's impasse hearing will be held at FGCU, the union said.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
FSU layoffs of tenured faculty cause a stir
This was originally published at www.tallahassee.com on 2/19/10.
Florida State University lured Mike Wetz away from the University of North Carolina with the offer of an assistant professor position in FSU's highly regarded Department of Oceanography. Wetz's first day at FSU was Dec. 23, 2008. Less than six months later, in June 2009, Wetz received a layoff notice.
Wetz had done nothing wrong, by all accounts. He was one of five faculty members in his 15-person department whose positions were being eliminated as FSU decided to merge oceanography, geological sciences and meteorology in the wake of massive reductions in state revenue.
Two of his colleagues being terminated are tenured, which traditionally means their positions are secure.
Geological sciences fared even worse, losing six of 13 positions including four tenured faculty. No positions were eliminated in meteorology.
"As tough as it's been for me personally, the toughest part is seeing tenured faculty laid off," said Wetz, who days after receiving his notice learned his wife, Jennifer, was pregnant with their second child. "It's been very difficult for me to see this happen to tenured faculty.
"It's totally changed my view of how academia works."
FSU's decision to lay off 21 tenured and 15 additional tenure-track faculty isn't going unnoticed. The esteemed Science magazine last month detailed how the science programs at FSU have been affected by layoffs, and how FSU is letting go of more tenured faculty than the other 10 schools in the State University System combined.
Provost Larry Abele believes FSU was being pro-active when it adopted a three-year budget last June.
"Our plan minimizes the number of people we had to let go. It's painful to let someone go," Abele said. "We're trying to make it as palatable as possible."
Former FSU President T.K. Wetherell pledged to keep all targeted faculty on its payroll for two years, provided FSU receives a second year of stimulus money. However, Wetz and his colleagues in oceanography were told they would not receive a second year of funding. That changed Wednesday when President Eric Barron addressed the Faculty Senate. Barron acknowledged that there had been confusion, and said all faculty would receive a second year of pay.
United Faculty of Florida, the union representing FSU's faculty, is challenging the termination of tenured members and hopes to have an arbitration hearing this spring.
Philip Froelich is the Francis Eppes professor in oceanography and one of the tenured faculty who received a layoff notice. He isn't sure if he'll return for a second year.
"There's something wrong here," the 63-year-old Froelich said. "To fire junior faculty like this is immoral — and that word is now around the country."
Eric Walker, an English professor and president of the Faculty Senate, isn't sure how layoffs in geological sciences and oceanography are playing around the country.
"I do know how this fact plays: We terminated 21 tenured faculty members," Walker said. "This is a fact that will get the attention of faculty members across the country.
"I haven't seen a whole lot of other institutions laying off 21 tenured faculty members. That's where we're making headlines."
FSU invested considerable resources in fall 2008 when it hired Wetz, Brian Arbic and Amy Baco-Taylor in oceanography and Davis Farris in geological sciences. Approximately $1 million in "start-up" fees were earmarked for the four new faculty members, who have all received layoff notices.
"Universities that hire a bunch of young people and then lay them off quickly afterwards, obviously something went wrong there," said Arbic, who has accepted a position at the University of Michigan. "How many other universities around the country are taking the drastic step of laying off faculty? I think you'll find it's not a very long list."
Furloughs have been enacted at some top-shelf universities, including the University of Illinois. FSU administrators have said repeatedly they regard furloughs as a last resort for balancing the budget.
Leroy Odom, chairman of the Department of Geological Sciences, has seen his faculty roster shrink from 18 to six. He believes the hiring of Barron, formerly the director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, was the best thing that could have happened at FSU.
"I'm not expecting any reversal, but I do expect we'll be treated better in the future," Odom said. "Somehow we went from a department that was good enough to deserve new faculty positions to one that didn't deserve to exist.
"I didn't see it coming. I knew there was a budget problem and they were considering faculty cuts and this and that. I didn't know they would all be coming from our departments."
Florida State University lured Mike Wetz away from the University of North Carolina with the offer of an assistant professor position in FSU's highly regarded Department of Oceanography. Wetz's first day at FSU was Dec. 23, 2008. Less than six months later, in June 2009, Wetz received a layoff notice.
Wetz had done nothing wrong, by all accounts. He was one of five faculty members in his 15-person department whose positions were being eliminated as FSU decided to merge oceanography, geological sciences and meteorology in the wake of massive reductions in state revenue.
Two of his colleagues being terminated are tenured, which traditionally means their positions are secure.
Geological sciences fared even worse, losing six of 13 positions including four tenured faculty. No positions were eliminated in meteorology.
"As tough as it's been for me personally, the toughest part is seeing tenured faculty laid off," said Wetz, who days after receiving his notice learned his wife, Jennifer, was pregnant with their second child. "It's been very difficult for me to see this happen to tenured faculty.
"It's totally changed my view of how academia works."
FSU's decision to lay off 21 tenured and 15 additional tenure-track faculty isn't going unnoticed. The esteemed Science magazine last month detailed how the science programs at FSU have been affected by layoffs, and how FSU is letting go of more tenured faculty than the other 10 schools in the State University System combined.
Provost Larry Abele believes FSU was being pro-active when it adopted a three-year budget last June.
"Our plan minimizes the number of people we had to let go. It's painful to let someone go," Abele said. "We're trying to make it as palatable as possible."
Former FSU President T.K. Wetherell pledged to keep all targeted faculty on its payroll for two years, provided FSU receives a second year of stimulus money. However, Wetz and his colleagues in oceanography were told they would not receive a second year of funding. That changed Wednesday when President Eric Barron addressed the Faculty Senate. Barron acknowledged that there had been confusion, and said all faculty would receive a second year of pay.
United Faculty of Florida, the union representing FSU's faculty, is challenging the termination of tenured members and hopes to have an arbitration hearing this spring.
Philip Froelich is the Francis Eppes professor in oceanography and one of the tenured faculty who received a layoff notice. He isn't sure if he'll return for a second year.
"There's something wrong here," the 63-year-old Froelich said. "To fire junior faculty like this is immoral — and that word is now around the country."
Eric Walker, an English professor and president of the Faculty Senate, isn't sure how layoffs in geological sciences and oceanography are playing around the country.
"I do know how this fact plays: We terminated 21 tenured faculty members," Walker said. "This is a fact that will get the attention of faculty members across the country.
"I haven't seen a whole lot of other institutions laying off 21 tenured faculty members. That's where we're making headlines."
FSU invested considerable resources in fall 2008 when it hired Wetz, Brian Arbic and Amy Baco-Taylor in oceanography and Davis Farris in geological sciences. Approximately $1 million in "start-up" fees were earmarked for the four new faculty members, who have all received layoff notices.
"Universities that hire a bunch of young people and then lay them off quickly afterwards, obviously something went wrong there," said Arbic, who has accepted a position at the University of Michigan. "How many other universities around the country are taking the drastic step of laying off faculty? I think you'll find it's not a very long list."
Furloughs have been enacted at some top-shelf universities, including the University of Illinois. FSU administrators have said repeatedly they regard furloughs as a last resort for balancing the budget.
Leroy Odom, chairman of the Department of Geological Sciences, has seen his faculty roster shrink from 18 to six. He believes the hiring of Barron, formerly the director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, was the best thing that could have happened at FSU.
"I'm not expecting any reversal, but I do expect we'll be treated better in the future," Odom said. "Somehow we went from a department that was good enough to deserve new faculty positions to one that didn't deserve to exist.
"I didn't see it coming. I knew there was a budget problem and they were considering faculty cuts and this and that. I didn't know they would all be coming from our departments."
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Bargaining Update: Promotions, $750 supplement, etc.
The PJCFA bargaining team met with the Board of Trustee’s team Wednesday, November 18for the second meeting to negotiate the 2009-2010 contract (the one we should be working under).
The first order of business was to establish meeting dates as it had taken six weeks for the BOT Chief Negotiator to clear his calendar for this meeting. Meetings will be on alternate Wednesdays, with the next meeting starting December 2, at 1:45 in the District Conference Room in Building 7.
PJCFA’s major priority was negotiating a Letter of Agreement allowing either a promotion packet or portfolio to be used for this year’s promotion cycle. This proposal was accepted. If you are up for promotion this year, you may submit either a packet or a portfolio. Negotiations will continue on what future years’ promotion document requirements will be.
PJCFA and the BOT agreed to carry forward language changes made for Articles 1 and 3 during last year’s negotiations. PJCFA presented Article 5 as well, incorporating both previously agreed to language and some additional protections for faculty.
In addition, PJCFA presented Article 19, Copyright and Intellectual Property, for consideration. Drafted by a committee of faculty and administrators, this new article delineates the rights of faculty and the College to intellectual property created by PJC faculty. In effect, it requires that the College either grant release time or extra compensation for any faculty-developed course material (including online classes) to be used by other faculty at the College, including adjunct faculty.
Following Tuesday night’s BOT meeting in which the BOT approved a $750 one-time supplement for all fulltime employees, PJCFA asked for negotiation of this “supplement.” We offered a counterproposal, accepting the supplement, but mandating that should enrollment for Spring 2010 meet or exceed the percentage increase of Fall 2009, this supplement would be added to base pay for 2010/2011 before further salary negotiations. Since the BOT will not meet again before January and the supplement is scheduled for December, Mike Mattimore (BOT Chief Negotiator) noted that a decision on our codicil could not be made in time for the supplement to be paid to faculty. Therefore, we accepted the $750 supplement with the stipulation that negotiations on adding it to base would continue in January. We also agreed that by accepting this supplement, we did not waive the right to negotiate further pay increases for the year. The Letter of Agreement has been signed, and faculty will receive the $750 in December.
We renewed our request for complete information on all endowed chairs at PJC so that this detailed information can be included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement for all faculty to easily access.
PJCFA also expressed concern that an updated contract has not been published by administration or disseminated to faculty following the imposition of the BOT language in June.
The first order of business was to establish meeting dates as it had taken six weeks for the BOT Chief Negotiator to clear his calendar for this meeting. Meetings will be on alternate Wednesdays, with the next meeting starting December 2, at 1:45 in the District Conference Room in Building 7.
PJCFA’s major priority was negotiating a Letter of Agreement allowing either a promotion packet or portfolio to be used for this year’s promotion cycle. This proposal was accepted. If you are up for promotion this year, you may submit either a packet or a portfolio. Negotiations will continue on what future years’ promotion document requirements will be.
PJCFA and the BOT agreed to carry forward language changes made for Articles 1 and 3 during last year’s negotiations. PJCFA presented Article 5 as well, incorporating both previously agreed to language and some additional protections for faculty.
In addition, PJCFA presented Article 19, Copyright and Intellectual Property, for consideration. Drafted by a committee of faculty and administrators, this new article delineates the rights of faculty and the College to intellectual property created by PJC faculty. In effect, it requires that the College either grant release time or extra compensation for any faculty-developed course material (including online classes) to be used by other faculty at the College, including adjunct faculty.
Following Tuesday night’s BOT meeting in which the BOT approved a $750 one-time supplement for all fulltime employees, PJCFA asked for negotiation of this “supplement.” We offered a counterproposal, accepting the supplement, but mandating that should enrollment for Spring 2010 meet or exceed the percentage increase of Fall 2009, this supplement would be added to base pay for 2010/2011 before further salary negotiations. Since the BOT will not meet again before January and the supplement is scheduled for December, Mike Mattimore (BOT Chief Negotiator) noted that a decision on our codicil could not be made in time for the supplement to be paid to faculty. Therefore, we accepted the $750 supplement with the stipulation that negotiations on adding it to base would continue in January. We also agreed that by accepting this supplement, we did not waive the right to negotiate further pay increases for the year. The Letter of Agreement has been signed, and faculty will receive the $750 in December.
We renewed our request for complete information on all endowed chairs at PJC so that this detailed information can be included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement for all faculty to easily access.
PJCFA also expressed concern that an updated contract has not been published by administration or disseminated to faculty following the imposition of the BOT language in June.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Bargaining Wednesday, November 18
Bargaining will be held Wednesday, November 18, at 1:45 in the District Conference Room (Building 7). Everyone is invited to attend. A bargaining update will be posted following the session.
Hearing Officer Finds In Favor of PJCFA
Carlos Lopez, hearing officer for the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC), issued his recommendation concerning an unfair labor practice (ULP) filed by PJCFA against PJC administration. Officer Lopez found in favor of PJCFA.
The ULP concerns the administration's refusal to arbitrate a grievance filed in November 2008. The grievance argues that administration owes the faculty a two-percent increase based on contractual language contained in the 2008-2009 CBA. Administration argued that the grievance was frivolous and without merit. Officer Lopez disagreed, saying "The law regarding a refusal to arbitrate a grievance is long-standing and well-settled. The PJCFA grieved an arguably arbitrable subject matter properly resolved through contract arbitration. The BOT knew or should have known that it was committing an unfair labor practice by refusing to participate in arbitration."
His recommendation must now be adopted by PERC. He has asked that PERC issue an order demanding the BOT to:
(1) Cease and desist from refusing to process to arbitration grievances filed by PJCFA; (2) Process the grievance filed by PJCFA; (3) Pay reasonable attorney's fees and costs expended by PJCFA and UFF in litigating theh case; (4) Post immediately for sixty days in conspicuous locations an announcement stating that the BOT shall cease and desist from the actions set forth in the recommendation; (5) Have the Notice signed by the BOT's authorized representatives and make sure that the Notice is not altered, defaced, or covered by other material; and (6) Notify PERC within 20 calendar dates from the issuance of the order of the steps that have been taken to comply with that order.
The administration has fifteen days to file exceptions to the recommendation. PERC will then review the hearing officer's ruling and issue its order.
The ULP concerns the administration's refusal to arbitrate a grievance filed in November 2008. The grievance argues that administration owes the faculty a two-percent increase based on contractual language contained in the 2008-2009 CBA. Administration argued that the grievance was frivolous and without merit. Officer Lopez disagreed, saying "The law regarding a refusal to arbitrate a grievance is long-standing and well-settled. The PJCFA grieved an arguably arbitrable subject matter properly resolved through contract arbitration. The BOT knew or should have known that it was committing an unfair labor practice by refusing to participate in arbitration."
His recommendation must now be adopted by PERC. He has asked that PERC issue an order demanding the BOT to:
(1) Cease and desist from refusing to process to arbitration grievances filed by PJCFA; (2) Process the grievance filed by PJCFA; (3) Pay reasonable attorney's fees and costs expended by PJCFA and UFF in litigating theh case; (4) Post immediately for sixty days in conspicuous locations an announcement stating that the BOT shall cease and desist from the actions set forth in the recommendation; (5) Have the Notice signed by the BOT's authorized representatives and make sure that the Notice is not altered, defaced, or covered by other material; and (6) Notify PERC within 20 calendar dates from the issuance of the order of the steps that have been taken to comply with that order.
The administration has fifteen days to file exceptions to the recommendation. PERC will then review the hearing officer's ruling and issue its order.
Monday, August 24, 2009
BREVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE APPROVES NEW 3-YEAR DEAL
This was originally published at Florida Today, 8/21/2009
Brevard Community College's faculty approved a new three-year contract Thursday. The contract passed with 80 percent.
Eighty-five percent of the 227 faculty members voted, which officials said is a higher turnout than normal. Typically about 70 percent vote, said Judi Schatte, president of BCC's branch of United Faculty of Florida.
"I am elated that it passed by that much because there was something in this contract that affected everyone," Schatte said. "There hasn't been in a long time such a complete change in the contract. It was rewritten and it was organized so hopefully it would make it easier to find things."
Although the contract freezes pay for at least one year, it allows flexibility for hours when faculty members are not teaching. The contract also includes a procedure on how faculty members can move up in rank, for example from associate professor to professor. Previously, there were some guidelines in the employee handbook, but not the contract.
BCC President Jim Drake said the high voter turnout is a sign there is mutual respect between faculty and the administration. "To me that is so significant, not only because of the outcome, but also it tells me that the faculty has viewed this with the same level of importance that the administration has," Drake said Thursday evening. "The outcome is an expression of confidence and trust on the part of the administration toward the faculty and on the part of the faculty toward the college." [emphasis added by PJCFA in its reporting]
The contract is effective immediately because the school's trustees approved it earlier this week pending the faculty's approval.
Brevard Community College's faculty approved a new three-year contract Thursday. The contract passed with 80 percent.
Eighty-five percent of the 227 faculty members voted, which officials said is a higher turnout than normal. Typically about 70 percent vote, said Judi Schatte, president of BCC's branch of United Faculty of Florida.
"I am elated that it passed by that much because there was something in this contract that affected everyone," Schatte said. "There hasn't been in a long time such a complete change in the contract. It was rewritten and it was organized so hopefully it would make it easier to find things."
Although the contract freezes pay for at least one year, it allows flexibility for hours when faculty members are not teaching. The contract also includes a procedure on how faculty members can move up in rank, for example from associate professor to professor. Previously, there were some guidelines in the employee handbook, but not the contract.
BCC President Jim Drake said the high voter turnout is a sign there is mutual respect between faculty and the administration. "To me that is so significant, not only because of the outcome, but also it tells me that the faculty has viewed this with the same level of importance that the administration has," Drake said Thursday evening. "The outcome is an expression of confidence and trust on the part of the administration toward the faculty and on the part of the faculty toward the college." [emphasis added by PJCFA in its reporting]
The contract is effective immediately because the school's trustees approved it earlier this week pending the faculty's approval.
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