The semester may be drawing to a close, but there’s a lot going on here with EMUFT. As we move toward summer, there are many opportunities to be involved. This email contains updates on a few key issues. Contact EMUFT President Lisa Laverty or EMUFT Staff Organizer, Tim Allen, for more information on these and other issues, and for ways that you can be active in your union: EMUFTpresident@gmail.com or EMUFTorganizer@gmail.com .
BARGAINING FOR THE FULL-TIME LECTURER CONTRACT BEGINS ON MAY 4TH
The collective bargaining agreement for Full-Time Lecturers expires on August 31st. A bargaining platform for upcoming negotiations was ratified in mid-March by a vote of the membership. Full-Time and Part-Time members are stepping forward to serve on the Negotiating Team, Bargaining Action Team, and Research Team. The first formal bargaining session with EMU will take place on Wednesday, May 4th. Look for more information soon about kick-off events and others ways that YOU can help support bargaining. It is important for all of us, full- and part-time, to participate in support of bargaining. Our ability to bargain a fair contract is at its strongest when all of us stand together.
UPDATES ON PART-TIME LECTURER PAY SCHEDULE
Our continued pressure on EMU to fix the pay schedule for Part-Time Lecturers has resulted in two recent meetings between EMUFT members and EMU administration. In the first meeting, EMUFT proposed a Memorandum of Understanding to restore the previous pay schedule (8 pays per semester, beginning on Sept 15th). In the second meeting, EMU’s Interim Provost, Rhonda Longworth, provided new information about technical challenges of the payroll system that EMU has adopted for Part-Time Lecturers and how those challenges influence the pay schedule. This is the first time that EMU administration has engaged in transparent and open discussion on the matter, and while solutions have not yet been reached, a productive dialogue occurred. EMUFT has requested additional data from EMU so that we can better understand the scope of the technical challenges that EMU claims it faces. Our next meeting with EMU administration is scheduled for Tuesday, April 19th.
EMU has also committed to exploration of some potential alternatives to the current pay schedule that has been so problematic for many Part-Time Lecturers.
There will be Membership Meetings to discuss EMU's proposals (on the days/times listed below). Please plan to attend one of these meetings to participate in making decisions about how to respond. All Lecturers are welcome. You need only attend one meeting.
· Friday, April 22, 11am-12pm in Halle Library Room 300
· Monday, April 25, 2-3pm in Halle Library Room 300
· Tuesday, April 26, 11-12am in Pray-Harold Room 326
· Wednesday, April 27, 6-7pm in Pray-Harrold Room 326
· Thursday, April 28, 1-2pm in Pray-Harold Room 326
EMUFT WINS ARBITRATIONS IN MATH AND ENGLISH (CREATIVE WRITING) DEPARTMENTS
EMUFT filed two arbitrations In Fall 2014 and Fall 2015 alleging that department heads in Math and English had not made “every reasonable effort” to hire current Part-Time Lecturers (PTL’s) when new course sections became available in those departments, as is required by the contract. In the Math department, the department head made no effort to communicate the availability of work to existing lecturers; in Creative Writing, the department head posted new class openings on the University’s new hires job site, but failed to notify incumbent PTL's of the additional work. In both cases, EMUFT won the arbitrations and the arbitrator agreed with EMUFT that those actions by the department heads did not constitute “every reasonable effort.” However, the arbitrator did not grant EMUFT’s request for economic remedies.
*EMUFT has now won three arbitrations (the above cases, plus a similar case in the Political Science department) on this issue. As a result of these cases, EMU has informed department heads that they must follow the contract and communicate to existing Part-Time Lecturers when new work becomes available, and we are seeing positive change in many departments across campus. This is how we enforce the contract, together.
The current collective bargaining agreements can be accessed here: http://www.emich.edu/ahr/documents_menu/fcontracts.php
CONGRATULATIONS AWARD WINNING LECTURERS!
Six EMUFT Lecturers were recognized for their outstanding teaching during EMU’s annual Excellence Week. Congratulations to Sharon Holt, (occupational therapy), recipient of this year’s Full-Time Lecturer Outstanding Teaching Award, and to the inaugural class of Part-Time Lecturer Outstanding Teaching Award recipients, Joe Eastman (cyber security), Cindy Guillean (writing, social work), Robert Twells (marketing), Geoffrey Stanton (music) and Darlene Leifson (communication, media and theatre arts)!
In Solidarity,
Lisa Laverty, President, EMU Federation of Teachers