Minutes June 13, 2008
Susan Greenbaum, Hiba Hechiche, Mark Klisch, Jana Martin, Greg McColm, Kathleen de la Pena McCook, Ed Mitchell, J. D. Noonan, Eric Odgaard, Steve Permuth, Arthur Shapiro, Paul Terry, Harry Vanden, Bob Welker, Keith White, Sonia Wolmuth
Agenda & Introductions.
Agenda modified & approved.
Layoffs.
A member of the unit has informed the union that the member had been given 90 days notice for a layoff; the union had not received notice of this person’s layoff. There is a possibility that layoff units are being designed to target particular individuals. Discussion.
- A sense of the meeting, but not formulated as a motion: that a Biweekly Extra be sent out asking members of the bargaining unit to contact UFF if they have received or know of other people receiving layoff notices. In addition, the Extra is to inform members of the unit that the affiliates will not provide legal assistance for grievants who were not UFF members before initiating the grievance, and that such grievants will have to pay any arbitration costs.
- Motion by McCook (seconded by Hechiche, amended by Klisch): That the UFF officers work with sister/brother unions to provide some support yet to be determined to laid off employees. This motion is to be brought back to the Chapter if expenditures are involved.
Motion approved. - Permuth (seconded by Shapiro): That this union, working with other unions, empower the leadership and membership to develop, promote, and promulgate a plan in anticipation and response to possible employee impairments as directed by the university administration.
Motion approved unanimously.
Discussion: the Chapter will consider additional courses of action.
Reorganization.
The Chapter made the following resolution:
- Motion by McCook: The USF Administration and the Provost have egregiously violated the principles of shared faculty governance by failing to consult fully with the elected faculty bodies and the faculty union before promulgating the reorganization.
Motion approved unanimously.
Membership.
More people are joining the union.
Bargaining.
UFF presented its proposals at bargaining; the next date for bargaining has not been set.
- Motion by Vanden (seconded by Welker): The USF Chapter of the United Faculty of Florida expresses great concern for the status of the University of South Florida. Persuant thereto, we the members of this Chapter shall circulate a survey evaluating the confidence the faculty have in the present provost.
Motion approved.
Grievances.
Grievances have been filed on the mandatory taking of annual leave from in-unit members with 12-month contracts.
State Office.
Ed Mitchell reports that UFF’s affiliates are filing lawsuits against Amendments 7 and 9; further, he reports that this year, for the first time, less than 50 % of the state budget is allocated to education.
Meeting Adjourned.
These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on June 14, 2008.
