The University and the Union met on Dec. 19, 2023, for their final collective bargaining session of the calendar year for a first faculty contract. The Union presented a counter proposal on Grievance and Arbitration as well as new proposals on Departmental Workload Policies and Compensation. The Union was asked for the total cost of their compensation proposal but was unable to provide that information during the bargaining session.

The University presented counter proposals on Dues Deduction and Appointment and Promotion of Tenure Track and Tenured Faculty. Additionally, the University rejected the Union's proposals on Data Sharing and Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Artificial Intelligence. As a public university in Ohio, Miami must follow the requirements of Ohio's Public Records Act, which entitles the union to request the applicable records for the information which would otherwise be sought through its proposed article on Data Sharing. The University also maintains policies covering matters relating to Intellectual Property, Copyright and Artificial Intelligence that apply to faculty members. Additionally, neither of the proposals presented by the Union are mandatory subjects of bargaining.

During the session, the University informed the Union that its Departmental Workload Policies proposal involves a prohibited subject of bargaining. By law, under Ohio Revised Code Section 3345.45, faculty workload cannot be included in the parties' collective bargaining agreement. The University also informed the Union that the Ohio State Employment Relations Board has previously ruled that attempting to negotiate faculty workloads, after O.R.C. 3345.45 was determined to be constitutional, is an unfair labor practice. Accordingly, the University has requested that the Union withdraw the proposal in order to conform with Ohio law.

The union also presented a counter proposal on Purpose, to which the University responded with a counter proposal in the afternoon. The parties ended the session by reaching a tentative agreement on this article.

The University and the Union are scheduled to meet next on Jan. 17 and 31, 2024.

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