Current Bargaining Updates

Minutes, Bargaining Session March 14, 2023

2022-2023 Bargaining Team

Stefan Carpenter
Win Everham
Jen Fulwider
Carolynne Gischel
Michelle Leaver
Rachel Tait-Ripperdan
Serge Thomas
Judy Wilkerson
Kara Winton, Chair

2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement Finalized

The 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement is finalized, following ratification by the Faculty and approval by the Board of Trustees. A copy of the finalized and now current CBA is available here.

2020 / 2021 Bargaining Details

Friday, July 23, 2021

The UFF bargaining team has entered the final phase of our full-book bargain with management. We are now discussing Article 23, Salaries and Benefits.

The UFF and management teams decided early to explore the possibility of, for the first time, constructing a deal that covers the next three contract years. We identified multiple benefits this could bring to both faculty and FGCU, not the least of which would be not having annual negotiations on this difficult topic every summer.

In a further departure from previous years, where UFF would draw up a proposal that would lead to months of offers and counteroffers, the UFF and management teams decided to independently create frameworks through which we think this idea could work. On Wednesday, July 23, the teams met and shared their ideas.

Our conversation exclusively focused on the deal’s structure, not specific numbers, but we can summarize the framings as such:

UFF proposed using CPI (or another index) for base salary raises for three years, supplemented by an additional pre-bargained percentage for each year (for example, CPI +X percent).

Management has suggested a total percentage be budgeted for three years, which would then be apportioned out based on annual budget status (for example, X percent distributed over three years).

We discussed the positives of each plan, as well as the finer details that would need ironed out if either were implemented.

A week is being taken to examine the options, and more specific revised proposals will be exchanged at the next bargaining meeting.

We hope to have a finalized deal soon. For now, we can reasonably expect that this will be the first time a multiyear deal will be placed in front of membership for ratification.

More updates will come as the process unfolds, and I’ll be happy to answer questions you may have in the interim. – Patrick Niner, Co-President

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Bargaining for Article 23, Salaries, continues. As you may remember, UFF and management are exploring the possibility of a three-year salary increase plan. Both teams independently constructed models for how this could work.

UFF proposed tying the next three years’ to the Consumer Price Index, providing a CPI-based increase plus 2% per year.

Management proposed a total percentage (4%) to be distributed over three years based on budget strength (could be 1.5/1.5/1, could be 4% all distributed in one year), along with upward adjustments to current incentive pay. Full proposal attached here.