UC-AFT librarians came back to the bargaining table to address several of the economic proposals. Our entire unit was disheartened coming out of the July 29 session, during which the University made insufficient counters on salary, professional development, benefits, and more. Today the table team returned with commonsense proposals that accurately represent what librarians need and deserve.
It was terrific to have nearly 150 UC-AFT allies attend the bargaining session on Zoom. They showed their support with U17 librarians as we continue to fight for a fair contract.
The Council of University of California Faculty Associations (CUCFA) showed their solidarity with UC Librarians too. They sent a letter to UC President Michael Drake concerning the University’s characterization of the work of librarians. CUCFA reinforced the crucial role that UC librarians fill in conducting and supporting research. They urged the University to engage in productive bargaining that protects and upholds this expertise, including the negotiations around the definition of librarian and Principal Investigator status. We appreciate the backing from our faculty colleagues!
UC-AFT Proposals
Article 3 – Professional Activities and Development
The table team returned with a fair and supportive counter proposal that allocates $3,000/year in professional development funding for each U17 librarian. This number represents the on-the-ground realities to support librarians’ required professional service to the UC and our field. We insisted on clarification that the professional development funds will be made available through the University of California Office of the President, which will help deliver the funds in a more clear and equitable fashion. The current structure has led to a number of inequitable and deeply problematic disbursals of funds.
While we initially proposed that the special University-wide research fund (administered through LAUC) should be increased to $40,000/year, UC-AFT is amenable to the University’s counter of $35,000 annually.
UC-AFT reinforced our earlier proposal that U17 librarians should be eligible to submit grant or research proposals designating themselves as Principal Investigator (PI) without the need for requesting exceptions under campus contract and grant policies. The handling of PI status across UC libraries has been inconsistent, leading to the occasional loss of significant projects and associated grant funding for the University, and discouraging librarians from attracting grant funds to the University. Librarians, as academic appointees with deep subject area expertise, should have the same opportunities and be held to the same proposal conditions and review procedures as faculty and other eligible academic employees.
Article 13 – Salary
UC-AFT passed a strong and constructive counter proposal on salary. The top line details include:
- U17 librarians should receive a 7% salary increase at the time of contract ratification, and ask that the increase will apply retroactively to July 1, 2024. Represented librarians deserve to be caught up to our non-represented academic colleagues who recently received another salary adjustment and are now paid 6.85% more than UC-AFT librarians. The University responded at the table that they “cannot apply” retroactive salary increases due to “operational hardship” in processing such changes in UCPath. We disagree with this premise.
- U17 librarians should receive a 5% annual increase, to be applied July 1 for the following three years (meaning: 7/1/2025, 7/1/2026, 7/1/2027; keeping to a four-year contract overall).
- U17 librarians should receive the difference in any salary increases provided to non-represented librarians. This “me-too” provision would keep salaries equitable and address the ongoing issue where non-represented librarians pull ahead of their UC-AFT counterparts (as we are currently experiencing).
Article 14 – University Benefits
We proposed a $25/month cap on any increases in employee contribution rates for benefits. Last year the University announced significant increases to worker contributions for healthcare premiums—up to 193% over 2022 rates for some employees. UC-AFT reiterated our earlier proposal to make U17 librarians eligible for housing benefits that are currently available to other academic appointees, such as Senate Faculty. These benefits vary by campus and could offer some relief to the housing challenges faced by librarians.
Article 21 – Vacation
UC-AFT passed another counter proposal regarding work in relation to winter curtailment. First, we proposed strengthening the ability for librarians who wish to work over this period to do so remotely. Librarians should be trusted to apply our professional judgment in meeting our deadlines, identifying optimal times to complete our work, and performing this work when it needs to be done—even if that falls during winter curtailment. Much academic research, conference preparation, and librarian promotion and review deadlines fall right before or after winter curtailment. Librarians who do not observe Christian holidays also need equitable treatment in their use of vacation time. Additionally, under our proposal any new colleagues would be able to work instead of being forced to take leave without pay or starting the year in deficit due to “borrowing” vacation time they haven’t accrued yet.
Second, we proposed that winter curtailment days that are not regularly scheduled days off or University administrative holidays shall not exceed three days. So, for example, a librarian who wishes to use vacation for non-holiday curtailment days wouldn’t be compelled to use more than three vacation days. This provision would make curtailment length consistent across campuses and years.
Article 22 – Holidays
We proposed a package deal that links this Holidays article with the Vacation article (Article 21). If the University accepts our language in the Article 21 counter we passed today, we’ll accept their counter for Article 22 from the last bargaining session, which codified Juneteenth as a holiday.
University Proposals
Article 12 – Payroll (formerly Dues) Deductions
Our previous proposal attempted to streamline the process for dues deductions to better align with current (and working) practice. We provided language to clarify the timeframe for the union’s responsibility to alert the University about errors. And UC-AFT proposed that the University, once notified, should make the corrections before the next month’s payroll cycle. The University’s counter from today rejected that obligation and instead proposed to have 45 days to make a correction. There are a few other proposed changes we’ll be reviewing.
Article 25 – Arbitration
A week ago UC-AFT passed a counter proposal that ensures a timely arbitration process. It appears the University rejected most of our pragmatic proposed text, so we’ll take another detailed look before the next counter.
Article 32 – Flexible Work Arrangements
Last week our table team came back with another counter on Flexible Work Arrangements. We accepted UC’s language regarding Article 23 and added text to clarify how full time remote work arrangements may be modified. This week, the UC added and clarified language about performance concerns and remediation plans that applies to the entire article, not just full remote work arrangements. We’re pleased with the progress we’re making on this article in particular and look forward to reviewing the details of the newest counter.
Article on Academic Freedom
On July 29 UC-AFT introduced a new article to solidify librarian Academic Freedom in our contract. Our proposal was closely aligned with the text of APM 011, and affirmed the procedures set out in the APM for application to librarians. Today the University countered by striking much of the language we adapted from the APM, choosing instead simply to incorporate a cross-reference to APM 011 and thereby maintain sole control over the terms by which Academic Freedom protections are applied to librarians. We continue to be concerned with this type of construction considering the University’s inconsistent consultation process and untenable timelines regarding revisions to the APM.
Upcoming Bargaining: August 22 at UC Berkeley
After the last two bargaining sessions on Zoom, we’ll return for an in-person negotiation at UC Berkeley on Thursday, August 22. The bargaining will take place at 305 Bauer Wurster Hall at 10am. Local (and regional!) allies are welcome to observe.
In solidarity,
The UC-AFT Unit 17 Table Team
Kendra K. Levine, Bay Area, Chief Negotiator
I-Wei Wang, Bay Area
Timothy Vollmer, Bay Area
Jared Campbell, Davis
Mitchell Brown, Irvine
Xaviera Flores, Los Angeles
Miki Goral, Los Angeles
Joy Holland, Los Angeles
Jerrold Shiroma, Merced
Carla Arbagey, Riverside
Michael Yonezawa, Riverside
Tori Maches, San Diego
Laurel McPhee, San Diego
Jenny Reiswig, San Diego
Kristen LaBonte, Santa Barbara
Alix Norton, Santa Cruz
Tamara Pilko, Santa Cruz
Jess Waggoner, Santa Cruz