The University and FAM bargaining unit committees held their first session to negotiate an initial collective bargaining agreement for Miami’s bargaining unit faculty members on Aug. 30. The session was held at Miami University Voice of America Learning Center starting at 10 am and ending at 7 pm.
The parties agreed to ground rules for future sessions as well as terms for a Memorandum of Agreement governing the continuance of certain University Senate committees, including Faculty Research Committee, Center for Teaching Excellence, and Awards and Recognition Committee, as well as their related University divisional committees. Once the Memorandum of Agreement is finalized between the University and FAM/AAUP-AFT, the work of the committees shall resume in accordance with the terms.
By way of explanation, the activities of certain senate committees were suspended because they impact the wages, terms, and conditions of employment of bargaining unit faculty members. Because the faculty are now represented by the AAUP-AFT, the University must meet and bargain these matters with the AAUP-AFT. The parties will continue to discuss the activities of other committees during future bargaining sessions.
Additionally, prior to this initial bargaining session, the University provided the union with notice of several practices that it intended to continue during this period of negotiations, such as providing supplemental compensation to bargaining unit faculty and grant opportunities. The parties also agreed to a process for the University to continue providing notice of such practices.
The bargaining committees are scheduled to meet again on Sept. 12.