This is the official announcement that we will be having a mail ratification for Article 23, recently bargained by the UFF-UCF Bargaining Team. I will send out reminder announcements as well in the new year. I ask that you look over the tentative agreement for Article 23:Salaries. If you go to our website under “Proposals for 2020-2021 Negotiations” you will see the previous versions of this proposal so you can see what is different from past iterations. If you have any questions please let me know and I will address them. On January 11th at 7pm we will host a Townhall on Zoom to answer questions about the wording of Article 23 if you would like some clarification before you cast your ballot, open to anyone in the bargaining unit whether a member of the union or not. Details for how to join the Townhall will be forthcoming in a future announcement.
On December 18, 2020, the United Faculty of Florida at UCF and the UCF Board of Trustees reached tentative agreement on Article 23: Salaries. Faculty will now vote whether to ratify this tentative agreement. The entire Bargaining Unit is eligible to vote, whether a member of the union or not. Again, this vote is open to all 1,652 faculty in the bargaining unit, regardless of whether you are a dues-paying member. This ratification vote will be mail-in only.
If a majority vote “yes,” the article will be adopted immediately upon ratification by UCF’s Board of Trustees.
If a majority vote “no,” bargaining teams for both sides will return to the bargaining table and continue negotiating.
Ballots will be mailed to your home address on January 6, included will be the instructions, ballot, a smaller ballot envelope and a self addressed stamped envelope to our PO Box. Please verify that your home address is accurate in MyUCF, if it is not please email me your updated mailing address. Also, please update your address in MYUCF. Dr. Nina Orlovskaya, the Elections Committee Chair, will open the PO Box to collect envelopes at 5:00 p.m. on Wedenday, January 27 at the Oviedo Post Office, 83 Geneva Drive, Oviedo, FL 32765. The ballots will be counted on the same day at the Holiday Inn, Sapphire Ballroom 1724 N. Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL 32826 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. All faculty (including both dues-paying members and non-members) or representatives thereof are welcome to attend and observe the process. We will follow CDC guidelines for COVID-19, so plan to wear a face mask and observe physical distancing during ballot counting.
Improperly submitted ballots will be reviewed by the Elections Committee Chair, and each will receive a written explanation as to whether it was counted, not counted, or not counted with contingency.
Preface: Since April 2020, the UFF-UCF have been negotiating Article 23 Salaries on your behalf. UFF has fought for wage increases, additional excellent awards for research, and for clarification regarding administrative salary stipends. Our salary proposals are available online at our website uffucf.org. The audio and Zoom recordings are available at collective collectivebargaining.ucf.edu, or you may request them from the administration, cpiper@ucf.edu.
This BOT team’s proposal is the first one that has any monetary compensation, a one-time payment of $1,200. Below is a summary and rationale for the ratification of Article 23 Salaries.
Article 23 – Salaries
Summary: 23.3(b) Provides for a $1,200 one-time payment to be distributed 1/29/2021 to Bargaining Unit Members employed since 6/20/2020 and who earn Satisfactory or above on their 2019-2020 annual evaluation. No permanent salary increase is included and only one Research Excellence university award will continue to be available.
Rationale: Ratifying this agreement will conclude salary negotiations for 2019-2020, and offers some financial compensation to all members of the Bargaining Unit during a time of economic contraction owed to a global pandemic.
Timeline
Official announcement for mail ratification December 28th (Periodic reminders to follow)
Ballots mailed out January 6th
Townhall on January 11 at 7pm-registration information TBA
Ballots due by January 27th-5pm
Ballot Counting Meeting January 27 at Holiday Inn, 6-8:30 pm
Notify UCF of results January 28 at 9am
thanks,
Robert–
Robert Cassanello (he, him, his)
President, United Faculty of Florida at UCF
president@uffucf.org
