June 19, 2024

Administration, Faculty Union Tentatively Agree to Many Provisions of a New Contract

The respective bargaining teams for the OU administration and OU-AAUP met June 19 for their third bargaining session, a productive meeting where the two sides tentatively agreed that 33 articles and appendices are to continue as is in their new contract unchanged.

Also discussed were four proposed language changes to the contract offered by OU-AAUP at the previous session, with Oakland accepting the union’s proposed language regarding emeriti status for special instructors, tabling one proposal dealing with economic issues, and agreeing to continue discussions on the other two proposals.

The administration also provided the union a set of proposals on 10 non-economic articles and appendices, many of which were simply clarifying language and not changing the content or the spirit of the article or appendix. Others focused on streamlining the review process to make it more meaningful to faculty members and engaging the CAP on personnel decisions, and others addressing options to equalize workloads for special instructors and improve various processes for administering the contract.

The bargaining teams are set to meet again June 26 to continue discussions on all unresolved non-economic articles. The administration is pleased with both the progress made so far and the parties’ frank and constructive conversation on their respective proposals. Hopefully there will be momentum and at least some of open language items will be resolved at their next meeting.