Bargaining Session 05/02/2024

If you are interested in more detail please check out our youtube for the full session recording!

Article 16 - Released-Time 
GAU reinserted current contract language for Article 16 after UF tried to completely erase released-time appointments. GAU also increased FTE of these appointments to 0.5 and changed our previous parking permit proposal to ask for a commercial parking permit. This would allow GAU leadership to transport materials back and forth from the GAU office directly.

Article 8 - Leaves of Absence 
UF offers 2 days of bereavement leave for the death of an immediate family member, and 5 days if the family member lives internationally. This is in addition to the paid and unpaid leave we are already entitled to. They also left room for ambiguity using the language “requisite leave request form” to refer to the form needed to request any type of leave. GAU plans to respond to this proposal to ask for a more reasonable allotment for bereavement leave.

Article 28 - University of Florida Regulations and Policies
UF makes a distinction between impact bargaining and the articles intent to allow bargaining if the university makes a decision to implement a policy that has an impact on GAs wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment. It is only considered impact bargaining if there is a managerial right on UFs part. (This article was created to ensure the University fulfills their collective bargaining obligation before making a change that has an effect on our employment). There are three options when a change occurs - to reopen the article, decline to reopen until next full book bargaining and to waive the right to bargain on the change altogether.

Article 9 - Academic Freedom
GAU previous proposed language to clarify both what is allowed both in and outside of the classroom in regards to academic freedom. UF brought back a response to this proposal that struck most of these clarifications stating that they did not want to create a “legal test” in regard to relevance or the scope of activities. This includes striking out the phrase “expression of opinion as a citizen cannot constitute grounds for dismissal”. These arguments against broad language seem to directly contradict with language they have kept in their proposal in terms of what is not considered academic freedom. GAU will return a proposal that holds firm on our belief that clarifying these points is essential to protecting our rights as GAs.

Article 4 - Appointments, Reappointments and Terminations
In summary there were four substantive differences that UF and GAU have not yet come to agreement on. GAU wanted to structure this article to give GAs as much job security as possible and this includes setting 12 month appointments as the default unless there is a reason the department or advisor cannot fund a 12 month appointment. UF does not want to make this the default and wants to keep an explicit statement that an appointment only guarantees works for the term of the letter of appointment. While GAU wanted to include language that encourages continual reappointment, UF wants to keep the current contract language. Most of UF’s arguments against our proposed changes rest on “external checks”, meaning they believe students wont come here if other schools continually offer better. GAU feels UF should do better, AND be much more explicit about appointment terms and contract stipulations in letters of offer which are not binding.

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