September 2024

Dear members and friends,

We’re happy to be back together on campus for a new academic year. As fellow union members, we look forward to working alongside you to re-prioritize fair working conditions and academic freedom at UVM.

We’ve been bargaining a full-time contract since February. Below we’ll summarize where our contract campaign is, and UA members’ role in shaping what happens next.

We’re going to need engaged, informed, and committed union membership to get the contract we want. New and longtime members, there are many opportunities to get involved. Attend a bargaining session, Executive Council meeting, Delegates Assembly meeting (all dates posted on the UA website calendar.) If you have the ability to serve in your union leadership, please consider it; UA service is meaningful and rewarding. Union work is justice work.

We’re also holding a special members’ meeting over Zoom on September 9: see more below.

Sincerely,

Suzy and Katlyn

For UA Members: Contract Campaign Recap

Our priorities remain firm: fair salaries and equitable contracts for all faculty.

UA and the administration remain far apart on several key articles. On September 9, UA members will discuss our next steps.

Over the summer, the bargaining teams of UA and the UVM administration held 3 full-day bargaining sessions assisted by a federal mediator. UA members can catch up on the summer Mediation Report and past Bargaining Reports here.

Call to action: Ready to talk about our contract campaign with colleagues, friends, neighbors, social media contacts, and others in the campus and greater community? Your union has talking points for members to use. Please use these to start and to add to your conversations.

Access contract campaign talking points here

Sept. 9, 2:30pm: Special Members Meeting

September 9, 2:30pm on Zoom - Members’ contract update and discussion

Members, register here

This special meeting will update members about contract bargaining at this point. The discussion will inform our bargaining team which path forward our members support.

We will not back down from our contract priorities.

We win the contract we want only when our union members stand behind it. Attend this meeting. Then, please show up to observe our next bargaining/mediation sessions.

Upcoming bargaining sessions:

September 16, 1-4pm in person and on Zoom

September 30, 1-4pm in person and on Zoom

FAQs

“What does impasse mean?”
“Our contract expired in June. Does that mean we’re working without a contract?”
“Does UVM’s leadership transition affect contract bargaining?”

Maybe you’re not sure what union jargon means, or maybe you’re a longtime UA member with questions about the present moment. UA leaders compiled the questions we’ve heard the most over the last few months into this FAQ page.

Get To Know UA Leaders

Your faculty colleagues are your union leaders. Terms are for two years; academic year 24-25 is the second year of the term. These are the members of UA’s Executive Council:

• President: Suzy Comerford, Social Work

• Vice President: Eric Lindstrom, English

• Treasurer: Joe Kudrle, Math and Stats

• Secretary: Maeve Eberhardt, Romance Languages & Linguistics

• Members-at-Large: Brad Bauerly, Political Science; Katherine Elmer (Part-Time), Rubenstein School; Erica Andrus (Delegates Assembly Chair), Religion

• And welcome newest Members-at-Large Brian Beckage, Plant Biology and Mike Miller Eismeier, Math and Stats

Email the full Executive Council

Additionally, each college is entitled to UA Delegates and each department should have a Department representatives. Find yours here (and if your department does not have a rep, consider serving!)

UA staff members are: Executive Director Katlyn Morris and our new part-time Administrative Assistant Pearl Beckage. Welcome, Pearl! (pictured below, along with some other dedicated UA leaders at recent events)

Know Your Faculty Rights!

UA’s Benefits Chart is a resource to help all faculty know their rights. The chart also shows how inequitable the system is for Lecturers. One of our bargaining priorities is to change that.

This Fall, we’ll again be holding a series of ‘Know your Faculty Rights’ Zoom meetings to share key provisions of the contract and common questions; stay tuned for more information.

For questions about your contract or to inquire about grievances, reach out to the Contract Administration Committee at contract@unitedacademics.org.

Quick links

Visit our website

Calendar of events

Contract questions

Find your Department Rep and College Delegate

Join the UA Member Chat listserv