It’s Good to Have a Union 

Although the pandemic has altered so many aspects of our lives, the contract TAUP ratified remains in force. This means that many of the policies, pay increases and programs established in our new contract began in July, and with August’s arrival, almost all of the new elements will  be activated.

We are still waiting for agreement on final language with the administration on a very small number of details, but we are posting the new TAUP contract online at this time.  Once final details are confirmed, hard copy versions will be printed and distributed to everyone in the collective bargaining unit.

We have to wait until next year for the Tuition Exchange to become available for all Full-Time members, but almost all of the other provisions of the contract are now in place including:

 

Gains for Full Time CBU Members

• The contract’s second 1.625% raise to base pay for full timers kicks in with the paycheck issued at the end of July. The first across-the-board raise of 1.625% occurred when the contract was ratified and was retroactive to October 1, 2019.

• Effective July 1, 2020, eligible NTTs who contribute 4.5% of their base salary to their pension shall receive an employer contribution of 7.5% of base salary, a 0.5% increase.

• Faculty with 403(b) plans may now withdraw funds for hardship

• For APs,the university has established an electronic process by which the performance development system can be used for submission of accomplishments to be considered for merit, andthe process will be aligned with the timing of the merit process.

• Tenure track and NTT job openings will now be posted on Taleo, so bargaining unit members who wish to be informed of available jobs can establish profiles and receive email alerts for positions.

• An increased clarity on the work-balance timeline and more faculty voice in determining what counts as a prestigious fellowship.

• NTTs/PIRCs receive greater access to sabbaticals, and guaranteed representation on merit, promotion, and sabbatical committees. 

• Librarians will now have access to a maternity leave bank, a more transparent process for promotion to the highest rank, and a quicker accrual of sick leave upon hire

• Academic professionals now have a shorter probationary period, new vacation policy, and increase clarity on merit as well as their job descriptions 

• Student Feedback Forms can no longer be used as a primary or sole criteria for personnel decisions.  Multiple means of evaluation should be used.

 

Gains for Adjunct Faculty

• An increase to $1550 for the minimum adjunct per-credit rate (as of 7/1/20)

• Formal guidelines have been written in every school for the appointment and ranking of adjunct faculty, including a new minimum rate of pay at each rank.  Adjuncts may request information about their appointment and rank from their chair.  TAUP has received the new minimum rates per rank at each school and will be publishing them on the TAUP website this week and the TAUP Adjunct Constituency Council will be holding a town hall on Wednesday August 12 at 2pm. An announcement and RSVP will be sent next week.

• At the beginning of the fall semester, adjuncts may apply for a promotion and will be able to receive multi-semester appointments.  Each school will have established a promotion process which adjuncts may request from their chair or dean’s office.

• Adjuncts who made between $1550 and $2000 per credit hour in Fall 2019, but did not teach in Spring 2020, and are teaching again in Fall 2020 will receive a $500 bonus

• Each newly-hired adjunct will have access to an orientation session, as well as contact information for a chair or other faculty member within their department for support, consultation, review of course materials, classroom observation, referrals to the Center for the Advancement of Teaching, or other university resources.

• Student Feedback Forms can no longer be used as a primary or sole criteria for personnel decisions.  Multiple means of evaluation should be used.

 

Changes in Healthcare

The raises the union has negotiated and protected raises are especially important given the announcement that Temple has recently increased the cost of health insurance premiums for all  University employees by 9.6%.  Though unions cannot control the cost of premiums, we do negotiate the percentage of that premium that members pay.   Our contract guarantees that the percentage of the premium that TAUP members pay will not increase this year.

 

The Potential Fiscal Impact of COVID-19

Non-union employees at Temple will not be receiving raises this year, and many individuals in the administration have received a pay cut.  Our contract  guarantees that the Temple administration cannot take away our hard-earned gains.  But we may expect that the pandemic could lead the administration to ask again for concessions from all of its unions.  Just as in the Spring when this occurred, TAUP leaders will  listen carefully to any request, ask the administration questions to insure transparency and the need for concessions, and discuss any proposals that are made with TAUP members.  Any change to the terms of the contract would need to be ratified by dues-paying members.

 

There is Power in a Union

The power of a union has never been more important than in challenging times like the ones we currently face.  If you are not a member, JOIN TAUP.