December 7, 2017

NOTE: Minutes in item #7 amended per 3/1/18 Ex Com e-vote (see those minutes here).

FSU Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, Thursday, December 7, 2017

Members Present: Marlene Kim; John Hess; Peggy Walsh; Ellen Frank; Sofya Aptekar; Steve Levine; Steve Striffler; Askold Melynczuk; Tina Mullins; Monique Fuguet; Joe Ramsey

Others Present: Lorenzo Nencioli, FSU Membership Coordinator; Jeff Keisler, TT Grievance Officer; Caroline Coscia, NTT Grievance Officer; George Kelley, FSU member

1. Approval of the agenda- Motion made to combine items 5 and 11, and move both to 5. Motion made to add a Grievance Committee item to agenda. Motion made to change description of item 8. Motions to amend agenda as such seconded. Motion to approve agenda as amended passes.
2. Approval of the minutes- Motion made to approve the November 9^th, 2017 Ex Com meeting minutes. Motion seconded. Motion passes.
3. FSU Bargaining Policy- Friendly amendment offered to alter proposed policy (see below). Friendly amendment accepted. Motion made to approve policy as amended. Motion passes.
4. MTA elections- Monique and Peggy will help organize forum for candidates at UMB.

5a. FSU GRIEVANCE DISCUSSION- EX COM GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION

Motion made to recommend to the Joint Coordinating Committee against taking George Kelley’s case to arbitration. Motion seconded. Motion passes.

John and Monique agree to look at issues raised by George Kelley regarding problems with student evaluation processes.

JOE RAMSEY ENTERS

5b. Budget cut update- Discussion of UMB budget cuts and staff layoffs. Discussion of FSU role in response to layoffs, in how FSU works with other unions on campus.

5. Bargaining update- Discussion of bargaining.

EXECUTIVE SESSION ENDS

6. Faculty Council update- Discussion of latest proposals regarding NTT representation on Faculty Council, etc.

7. Report on the FSU Tenured faculty meeting in November- Discussion of forming FSU subcommittees to look at (a) workload and (b) racial/ethnic/gender discrimination issues.

[NOTE: New minutes for above section now read as the following per 3/1/18 Ex Com vote to amend minutes:

Report on the FSU Tenured faculty meeting in November- Discussion of forming FSU subcommittees to look at (a) workload and (b) racial/ethnic/gender discrimination issues.]---3/1/18

JOHN HESS, ASKOLD MELNYCZUK LEAVES

8. Department meetings- Update on recent meetings.

Faculty Staff Union Policy

Proposed Policy on Bargaining by Sofya Aptekar, Caroline Coscia, Steven Levine, John Hess, and Marlene Kim

Proposed Change:      Based on a Development of the Bylaws

ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES / Section 9

Rationale:                    This proposal is motivated by our expressed desire for a more representative, participatory, and effective bargaining process.

Current Text:

Section 9: A bargaining team shall be established as the need arises. The President shall recommend, for approval of the Executive Committee, members to serve on the bargaining team to negotiate a successor Agreement or to negotiate agreements on any other subject of bargaining as agreed to by the FSU and the Administration. The bargaining team for the successor agreement shall consist of four to six members, and its membership shall be open to all members of the chapter. Bargaining teams empowered to negotiate any other agreements shall be populated according to need. Membership on these teams shall be open to all members of the chapter. Term of office shall cease upon execution of a new Agreement.

Proposed Policy as a Development of Section 9 of the Bylaws:

FSU Policy on the Bargaining Team.

1. General Information on the Bargaining Team

1. A bargaining team shall be established as the need arises.

1. The President shall recommend, for approval of the Executive Committee, members to serve on the bargaining team to negotiate a successor Agreement or to negotiate agreements on any other subject of bargaining as agreed to by the FSU and the Administration.
2. Bargaining team members for the successor agreement shall be recommended and approved no later than mid fall semester prior to the end of the contract, except under unusual circumstances.
3. The bargaining team for the successor agreement shall consist of four to six members, and its membership shall be open to all members of the chapter. The constitution of the team should allow for proper representation of tenure stream and non-tenure track faculty members as well as librarians. Bargaining teams empowered to negotiate any other agreements shall be populated according to need. Membership on these teams shall be open to all members of the chapter. Terms of office shall cease upon execution of a new Agreement.
4. To the extent possible  M, major developments in bargaining shall be communicated to the executive committee. 
5. A bargaining support Sub-Committee will be created with the purpose of providing the Bargaining Team with feedback on bargaining topics, proposals, and if decided, principles. The constitution of this Sub-Committee should allow for proper representation of tenure stream and non-tenure track faculty members as well as librarians. This Sub-Committee will typically be formed prior to the start of bargaining, or as the need for feedback arises during bargaining. The Sub-committee shall work in consultation with the Bargaining Team.

1. To the extent possible, before bargaining with the administration begins the Bargaining support Sub-Committee Team shall:
   
   1. In concert with the bargaining team, draft and administer a bargaining survey for all members. The Sub-Committee may ask by constituency separate questions (TT, pre-tenured TT, NTT, Clinical Faculty, or Librarians).
   2. A bargaining survey will be sent out no later than the beginning of the November in which the contract expires, except in unusual circumstances.
   3. The results of the survey will be shared with the executive committee, and some aspects of the survey will be shared with the membership. These aspects will be determined collaboratively by the ExComm and Bargaining committee, with input recommendations from the Bargaining support subcommittee.
   4. Based on the results of the survey, and feedback from the executive committee and members, the bargaining team and the bargaining support Sub-Committee shall develop topics, proposals, and if decided, principles, for bargaining.
2. When bargaining starts the Bargaining Team shall:
   
   1. Regularly consult the bargaining support Sub-committee.
   2. Provide the executive committee and Bargaining Support Sub-committee with updates on major developments in bargaining.
   3. Provide updates to the membership on the status of different proposals being negotiated with the administration through emailed updates and as necessary, through scheduled meetings open to all members.   
3. When the bargaining cycle ends, prior to ratification, the Bargaining Team shall:
   
   1. Report to members the changes that were agreed upon with the Administration, prior to ratification, consistent with the stipulations of the MGL Chapter 150E. This can be done via e-mail.
   2. Organize informational meetings in which the proposed changes to the contract are shared, and in which members can ask questions about how those changes might affect their labor conditions. This should be done prior to the end of ratification of the contract.
4. Bargaining Team mentoring process  
   
   1. In non-bargaining years the FSU may organize a bargaining workshop or host an MTA bargaining workshop that will explain the process to interested members and that that will also serve as a means of recruiting potential bargain team members.
   2. In bargaining years the Bargaining support Sub-Committee may bring about an MTA bargaining workshop.