February 2024

Negotiations for the full-time Collective Bargaining Agreement began February 2 and are scheduled for Fridays 9-12 throughout the semester. Members will receive regular updates and invitations to attend. Our bargaining team is supported by various groups of members working on different pieces of research, proposal review, and campaign/outreach right now. This level of involvement from so many of you is exciting and important- let’s keep it up!

We publicly announced our collective bargaining priorities in a press release UA issued with our colleagues at UVM Staff United on 2/1. UA members’ input defined our bargaining team’s focus areas: salary raises, preservation of benefits, and increasing equity for Lecturers.

A bit more about that: Lecturers and Senior Lecturers now make up a third of UVM full-time faculty. Lecturers have access to fewer and less comprehensive benefits than other faculty, and they face constant job insecurity. We’ve created a Benefits Chart to help all faculty know their rights. But this chart also shows how inequitable the system is for Lecturers. We aim to change that.

In the meantime, keep coming to our table in the Davis Center every Thursday, 10am-1pm, and keep showing support by wearing UA gear on Fridays.

Read on for more big updates: welcoming members to new roles in UA leadership, this Thursday’s Mayoral Candidate Debate, and AFT Lobby Day coming up at the Statehouse on February 21.

In solidarity,

Suzy and Kate

Suzy Comerford, President
Katlyn Morris, Executive Director

Welcome New UA Leaders

United Academics welcomes several new leaders this semester:

• Sean Hurley, Education, as the newest member of our Executive Council

• Mike Miller Eismeier to the Contract Administration Committee

• Alice Scannell, Social Work, as a part-time faculty member on the Delegates Assembly

Reminder: UA still has a few open seats for delegates. To run, contact Jamie Abaied, Chair of the Nominations and Elections committee. We are currently running online special elections for Delegates in CNHS, CALS, and Grossman; members in those colleges, check your email for your ballot.

Learn more about your union’s leadership.

UA + UVMSU Host Burlington Mayoral Candidate Debate

United Academics & UVM Staff United invite you to a Mayoral Debate for the City of Burlington between State Representative Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and City Councilor Joan Shannon.

February 15, 5:00 – 6:30pm
Davis Center Livak Ballroom

Moderated by Justin Morgan Parmett, UA Legislative Committee Chair and co-Director of UVM’s Lawrence Debate Union

The event will also air live on Burlington Telecom channel 317 and on livestream:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljLFn4BZd2NsLyqKvMk2NEtjCtKOc3Oh

Legislative Update: AFT Lobby Day

2024 AFT Legislative Action Day
Wednesday, February 21 2024
10:30am to 5:00pm
Vermont Statehouse, 115 State St., Montpelier
Register today: aftvermont.org/2024statehouse

Join with healthcare and higher education union members from across the state as we meet with legislators to advance our campaigns and legislative agenda. Legislative Action Day will start at 10:30am and we will:

• Set up meetings with your legislators

• Hear from legislative leaders

• Get updates on our legislative priorities

• Testify on bills we are supporting (depending on committee schedules)

  Lobby Day Schedule:

• 10:30am - Noon: How to talk to your legislators

• Noon - 1pm: Lunch with your legislators

• 1pm - 4pm: Committee meetings, Floor debate, legislator meetings

• 4pm - 5pm: Reception in the Statehouse cafeteria with food and a cash bar

UA Files Two Grievances on administration not providing information

United Academics recently filed two grievances concerning information requests (Article 9.1). The first is regarding information about how UVM plans to disburse the approximately $600,000 of state money Act 183 intended for faculty and staff involved in nursing education. The second is regarding information, still delayed, that we requested in preparation for bargaining.

Learn more about recent, non-confidential grievances and about the work of the Contract Administration Committee.

Upcoming UA Events:

Wednesday, February 21: AFT Legislative Action Day at the Statehouse

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Friday, February 23, 2:30-4pm: Delegates Assembly meeting (Zoom)

All members are invited to attend this and all Delegates Assembly meetings. We will discuss bargaining updates and proposals. On Zoom- registration link will be emailed to members.

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Fridays, 9am-12pm: Full-time contract negotiations. All members are welcome to attend as observers (Jeffords 234 or on Zoom). Members, wear your UA t-shirt every Friday.

For a full list of UA meetings and events, as well as meetings and events held by other unions and endorsed by UA, visit our calendar.

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