Oregon Tech Faculty Strike

 Earlier this week, faculty at Oregon Tech went on strike, the Oregonian has reported.

The strike was set off by stalled negotiations between the faculty union and school, with the final straw coming over the weekend when administration rejected the union's last proposal.

The school intends to use scab labor to keep classes in session despite the lack of faculty.

CTV: French teachers in Alberta vote on strike

 CTV News reports that French teachers in Alberta's largest school district will be voting on a strike action after two years without a contract agreement.

The teachers, represented by Unité locale francophone No 24, are said to be greatly in favor of a strike. If the action passes, teachers could go out as early as 72 hours after giving notice.

CBS: Keystone Oaks teachers prepare to strike

 The Keystone Oaks Education Association has alerted the Keystone Oaks School Board that they intend to strike if a new contract is not agreed to by February 1st, local CBS affilate KDKA reports.

Island Now: Great Neck Library staff, board of trustees reach deal for tentative contract

The Island Now reports that the Great Neck Library Staff Association has reached a tentative contract deal with the library's board of trustees.

According to union sources, staff have been working without a contract since the last contract expired in 2012. Though the two sides did sign a memorandum of understanding in 2018.

Since the 2018 memorandum, disagreements have arisen between the board as workers who had been with the library for two decades were being told that they had hit the pay cap and would not qualify for further pay increases promised by the memorandum.

The contract concludes a campaign by the union to engage the community and involve patrons in the issues as the union was not permitted to strike.

Crimson and Sentinel: Graduate Students reach tentative agreement with Harvard, go back on wildcat strike at UCSC

The Harvard Crimson reports that the Graduate Student Union and Harvard University reached tentative agreements on three potential contract provisions last week. The two sides have made progress since the January 1 conclusion of a four week strike by workers after four mediated sessions, but have still not arrived at a first contract for the GSU.

Of particular conflict are provisions regarding compensation as well as proceedings around harassment and discrimination complaints.

Meanwhile, Graduate Students at the University of California, Santa Cruz launched an open ended wildcat strike for a cost of living increase, Monday, to meet high housing costs in one of the nations hardest rental markets. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that pickets were set up at both main entrances to the main UCSC campus, virtually shutting down all access to the campus at one point on Monday. Striking Teaching Assistants were joined by teaching faculty and undergraduates swelling their ranks, but making member participation in the unsanctioned strike difficult to determine.

Solidarity rallies were reported Monday on other UC campuses. The strike represents an escalation in actions following a grading strike at the end of the Fall semester in which 200 TAs still have not turned in final grades and a sickout last month. UCSC administration maintains that it cannot negotiate with the graduate student workers outside of formal contract negotiations and that the strike action is illegal.

CBC: Mount Alison University classes suspended as teaching faculty, librarians strike

Negotiations between Mount Alison University in Sackville, NB and the schools faculty and librarians union broke down Sunday night, resulting in an indefinite strike launched Monday morning.

According to the CBC, despite negotiations late last week and into the weekend and a lot of ground being made on some issues, talks couldn't advance enough on issues such as academic resources, workload, job security, and part-time faculty compensation.

While the university says it offered its last best offer in good faith Sunday night, Mount Alison Faculty Association leadership viewed the proposed deal as a "take-it-or-leave-it" approach and that the university is not willing to actually negotiate on the terms in contention.

This is the second time in six years the MAFA has gone on strike, in 2014 a three week strike only ended after both sides agreed to binding arbitration. This time, negotiators have called in a provincially appointed moderator.

Scene: Cleveland Public Library, Employees Union reach deal to avoid strike

The Cleveland Scene reports that a deal was finalized between Cleveland Public Library and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1199 negotiators. The deal, reached on the last scheduled day of negotiations, will prevent a strike that was set to begin on February 4th following an overwhelming vote by membership to authorize strike action.

The contract must still be ratified by membership at a vote scheduled for this coming Wednesday. No details of the contract have been made public yet.

ABC: Celveland Library workers authorize strike

According to Cleveland's local ABC affiliate, a near unanimous vote by members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1199 authorized a strike if necessary as library workers in Cleveland Public Libraries have been without a contract since January 1st.

Not strike has been called nor a strike notice issued to the library, but the strength of the vote gives SEIU negotiators a much stronger hand at the table as issues of library security remain a sticking point in negotiations.

Last week, the Union Library Workers blog reported on negotiations between the library and library worker's union at Cleveland Public Libraries. As an update to this unfolding story, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has begun a petition asking supporters of the library workers to sign. The text of their petition reads:

The women and men who work at the Cleveland Public Library proudly serve our neighborhood and our community every day, providing vital resources, services, and information for people like us.

However, decisions by Cleveland Public Library executives have eroded staffing, increased workloads and ignored the concerns of the public and the employees about the safety and security at library branches throughout the city. These decisions could put our local library at greater risk.

Demand library executives bargain in good faith with Cleveland Public Library workers for a contract that keeps everyone safe and respects the dignity of their work.

ABC: Cleveland Public Library workers left without contract after Jan 1 deadline passes

January 1st marked the deadline for a new contract between the Cleveland Public Library and its nearly 400 workers, but the date came and went and a January 8th vote has been set to determine if the workers will go on strike or not.

Cleveland's local ABC Affilate, News 5 Cleveland, reports that a main sticking point between the union and library is the issue of library security following the shooting death of 19-year-old Brandon Cutnoe last July. Library workers point to security features that don't work and the termination of a contract with a security firm that, workers say, will reduce response times to violence in libraries.

Library workers also point to the three marketing consultants hired after the shooting to the tune of $150,000 and double digit pay increases for library administrators while workers were offered only 1.5% after a 10-year wage freeze.

Negotiations are set to restart at the end of January, but many workers view that as too long to wait for needed security improvements.

Fact-finder report acceptable to union, but not management

Pennsylvania State Education Association members in the Deer Lake School District in western Pennsylvania voted to accept the terms of a fact-finding report issued in response to failed contract negotiations.  The school board, however, rejects the terms.


News report:

http://triblive.com/local/valleynewsdispatch/12834112-74/deer-lakes-teachers-accept-fact-finder-report-fault-school-board-for-inaction

PDF of fact-finder report:

http://triblive.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=CzqkmBn3G2WIAoGIEunC65M5tm0Zxrvol3sywaAHBAnRF255$4eyZFXMofVipbazYFvYJtLALTVU4xRnIdl0TQd75FFq0wwMGY0lFLj3Tq2CntTQg573rVzOhfe3dIuoe$SE7JovEZhFAnhYfMRaAg--&CONTENTTYPE=application/pdf&CONTENTDISPOSITION=vnd-DeerLakesreport-101417.pdf

Faculty union demands refused in Ontario -- possible strike

Management has put forward its final offer in negotiations with the union representing faculty in 24 Ontario colleges.  The union charges management with "misinformation" and "double-speak" in their communications with the college community and public.

From the union:
https://opseu.org/news/college-employer-councils-latest-bulletin-more-misinformation-and-double-speak-caat

From management:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/ontario-colleges-union-offer-rejected-1.4354340

St. Paul Federation of Teachers -- Corporations & Tax Breaks

The St. Paul Federation of Teachers is gearing up for contract negotiations, and one item they want on the table is to have management collaborate with the union in doing something to address the fact that area corporations are not paying their fair share of taxes.

See SPFT's newsletter at:
https://spft.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Contract-Update-928.pdf

2-year Contract Extension for California Faculty

Members of the California Faculty Association are set to vote on whether or not to extend their contract which is set to expire January 2018.  Should the extension be approved, members will receive a 6% raise over the next two years.  An extension will also allow the union to focus on advocacy for student services such as support for DACA students and the campaign for free college tuition.  In addition, work groups would be established to prepare for future negotiations in the areas of academic freedom, intellectual property and salary structures.

http://collegian.csufresno.edu/2017/10/03/contract-extension-could-mean-more-pay-for-faculty/

OPSEU Launches Radio Campaign

With 24 colleges in Ontario in contract negotiations and strike authorization in place should negotiations fail, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union has launched a radio ad campaign to inform the public of one primary issue at stake in bargaining -- the needs of contract (or adjunct/part-time) faculty.

"The union’s first radio ad will focus on the plight of thousands of contract faculty who are paid far less than the negotiated rate for full-time permanent faculty and have no job security beyond the next semester."

Read and listen at:

https://opseu.org/news/college-faculty-union-launches-ad-campaign-bargaining-issues

In addition, on October 2, contract faculty began voting on whether or not to join OPSEU:

http://www.contractfaculty.ca/vote-q-a-2/

Ontario Community College Contracts Expire Today

Either a union strike or a management lockout are on the contingency plans at 24 community colleges in Ontario as the Ontario Public Sector Employees Union contract expires Sept. 30.  Librarians are part of the bargaining unit.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3775140/students-and-administration-at-fleming-college-watch-contract-negotiations-closely/

http://oshawaexpress.ca/college-faculty-union-approves-strike-mandate/

San Diego County Workers Approve New Contract

A strike was avoided when a tentative agreement was reached between Service Employees International Union Local 221 and county officials.  Union members, including librarians, voted to approve the contract.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/us-politics/sd-me-union-votes-20170914-story.html

Temple University -- Adjuncts Get First Contract

The Temple Association of University Professionals negotiated the first contract for adjunct faculty.  The union plans that future contracts for both full-time and part-time faculty will be negotiated together.  TAUP is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2017/09/05/temple-adjuncts-reach-first-contract-agreement

An Adjunct Couple Speaks for Contract Ratification:
http://taup.org/an-adjunct-couple-speaks-for-contract-ratification/

Tentative contract:
http://taup.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Clean-TA-20170830-1.pdf

Ontario College Faculty Issue Strike Vote

Their contract expires September 30 and so, after ten weeks of negotiations with no movement from management, 68% of union members vote to strike if a settlement isn't reached. Twelve-thousand college faculty members, including librarians, are represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

https://www.simcoe.com/news-story/7564115-ontario-college-faculty-hand-bargaining-team-strike-mandate/

Oregon State University Workers Talk Strike

Classified employees at Oregon State University — the secretaries, food service workers, physical plant operators and other support staff — say they’re getting left behind economically and could go on strike if they don’t get a better contract....

article by Bennett Hall

http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/osu-workers-talk-strike/article_90cd63a0-d700-5bad-bef6-33018eef1b51.html