September 5, 2011. Union continues advocating promotional structure and better salaries for non-tenured/tenure track faculty, Call for participation on parental leave and partner benefit committees
Throughout the sweltering days of summer, your friendly neighborhood faculty union continued to be on the move.
We have been conducting a series of meetings with the administration concerning the abject status of much Non-Tenure-Track full-time faculty here at Planet FAU. We are currently establishing a promotional structure that will offer multi-year contracts and accompanying raises for our NTT full-time faculty. The administration seems in agreement to such a structure with accompanying 9% and 12% raises for each level of advancement. But they are balking at tying longer multiyear contracts with each level of advancement. How important are multiyear contracts to you? Write to us: president(at)uff-fau.org.
Ultimately, this promotional system is designed to recognize and reward the outstanding work NTT faculty provide in teaching classes, overseeing labs, and the other numerous tasks that allow the university to function and thrive.
Furthermore, the creation of this new structure and the development of its criteria will foster needed dialogue among NTT and Tenure Track and Tenured faculty concerning the labor and knowledge NTT faculty provide. For too long, NTT faculty has been treated as second-class workers here at the idea factory.
Additionally, the union wants all full-time NTT salaries to be brought-up to $40,000 minimum. Currently, almost 1/3 of NTT (around 60 people) make less than $40,000 with around 40 making $35,000 or below. The administration claims that budget cuts make equity raises impossible. But the facts remain unclear. The UFF suggests the administration host a town hall meeting to discuss the budget where they clearly and cogently outline spending allocations and the amount discretionary monies. Faculty will also be able to ask questions. Only by making this process transparent and open to discussion can we make logical and equitable decisions.
We also believe all faculty deserves 3% raises to partially off-set the 3% mandatory contribution faculty must make to the Florida Retirement system. But, as of yet, the administration will not come to the bargaining table in good faith to even discuss this issue.
We are also currently working on developing our Parental Leave and Partner Benefit Committees, as well as organizing a taskforce concerning tuition reductions for children of faculty and staff, so that we can make FAU a more family-friendly working environment. Any faculty interested should contact me at president(at)uff-fau.org.
Finally, we will be bringing to the administration’s attention the over-burdened parking situation that leaves faculty and students orbiting the campus for twenty to thirty minutes at a time in the desperate search for a vacant parking spot.
Overall, the union is the only collective voice of the faculty. So your involvement is needed in making the university a better, more equitable place. Get involved in making your future! Join the union!
Chris Robé
UFF-FAU President