The Duck & Cover

November 6, 2024

Solidarity—an invitation to the UA office.

Dearest colleagues, Solidarity is more than joining ranks to fight for the pay and working conditions we deserve. Solidarity is about being there for one another to offer support, assistance, or even just a kindly ear when needed. To any faculty feeling unsafe, angry, disillusioned, lost, lonely, or unsure of what to feel or what to do next at this incredibly difficult moment: we are here for you. We extend a standing invitation for folks to stop by the United Academics Union Hall for snacks, a beverage, and a listening ear. Or just a safe place to sit and to…

November 5, 2024

Bargaining Update for October 31, 2024

No Movement from Admin Your bargaining team met with the administration for the 17th session of negotiations on October 31st. Thank you to everyone who attended, whether in person or over Zoom! The next bargaining session is Wednesday, November 13th. More on that below. The Scholz administration refused to move on salaries… or anything else. The administration returned Article 26: Salaries to us. The headline numbers are unchanged: the administration is offering us a package that would permanently devalue our work, reduce our quality of life, and ultimately mean a pay cut (in real terms). The administration also rejected modest…

October 28, 2024

General Membership Meeting this Wednesday – Your Input Needed!

Good afternoon, colleagues!Amid ongoing contract negotiations which are becoming ever more difficult, we are holding a meeting for all union members this Wednesday, October 30, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Crater Lake Rooms in the EMU. Dinner and drinks will be provided.It is no exaggeration to say that this may be our most important “General Membership Meeting” yet.Starting at 5:30, members of the bargaining team will give an update on the progress (or lack thereof) since February. We’ll have a conversation about how negotiations may play out over the next couple of months. Then, we’ll ask everyone…

October 23, 2024

Bargaining Update for October 17, 2024

Bargaining Update for October 17, 2024 Your bargaining team met with the administration for the 16th session of negotiations on October 17. Thank you to everyone who attended, whether in person or over Zoom. We know that everyone has very busy lives and we appreciate your engagement. The next session will be Thursday, October 31st, 12:30 – 3:30 in Chiles 125. We are quite probably in the end stages of bargaining, and it is more important than ever that faculty remain engaged and show up for our bargaining sessions if we are to win a fair contract at the bargaining…

October 18, 2024

Oregon rising…Salaries falling! Sign onto our letter to admin

We need your help to avert a strike. Bargaining, especially around salary, is not going particularly well. The administration is refusing to offer raises commensurate with inflation, much less a plan to get our salaries up to the AAU average. We have heard from members both on the potential necessity for us to flex our power to secure reasonable raises, but also anxiety around what that might mean. First and foremost, a strike is a last resort, and one which must be approved by the membership of United Academics to proceed. Strikes are for when our backs are against the…

October 15, 2024

We Need You at Bargaining This Thursday @ 12:30

Next bargaining session is Thursday, October 17 from 12:30-3:30 in Chiles 125. Thank you to all (200+) people who showed up at the last bargaining session. As you heard, the administration is more concerned with talking about bulletin boards than with our salary proposal. Eventually the administration is going to have to actually bargain over salary, and we need as many members in the audience as possible when they do. Our next bargaining session is this Thursday, October 17 from 12:30-3:30 in Chiles 125. As always, you can come and go, or bring your lunch or some work to do….

October 9, 2024

Bargaining Update (Salary!) for September 26, 2024

Bargaining Update for September 26, 2024 Your bargaining team met for the 15th session of negotiations with the administration on September 26th. Before we get into the details, we are deeply appreciative of the more than 200 people who attended either in person or over Zoom. We filled the room and had to use the overflow room as well. Your presence was felt by everyone at the table. A Tentative Agreement on Unit-Level Policies! The team is happy to report a tentative agreement on Article 4: Unit-Level Policies, where we strengthened the mandate that unit-level policies come from unit-level processes,…

October 1, 2024

Cheers to a New Academic Year: Updates & Resources Inside!

Greetings, my excellent colleagues,This new academic year at the University of Oregon brings a bit more change than usual, such as a new athletic league, a new Provost, new programs beginning in UO Portland, and a record number of new faculty.We’ve also seen changes to the Executive Council of United Academics:Kate Mills (Psychology) is our new Executive Vice President. Kate’s enthusiasm and can-do attitude will be key for her work on the Contract Action Team to coordinate and ratchet up all of our individual efforts during these final months of negotiations on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.Ed Wolf (Music) is…

September 27, 2024

My Experience at the 2024 Democratic National Convention

My Experience at the 2024 Democratic National Convention Last month, I had the privilege of attending the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a delegate for Oregon. I was pleased to see the strong union representation throughout the event, indicating that labor was welcomed and respected at the Convention. In addition to the excitement of the main events and speeches, I valued the chance to connect with fellow rank-and-file unionists-making new friends, sharing stories, and reaffirming our solidarity in the fight for working families. I also had the opportunity to meet with leaders in the labor movement, including AFT…

September 24, 2024

University of Oregon Course Resources

Every regular term of the academic year the University of Oregon publishes a course resource page, which includes some ready-made materials to launch courses. Part of this is a “starter syllabus” which has a general outline plus a lot of sample language folks can use when preparing a syllabus. Fall Term resource webpage Starter syllabus webpage The University Policy section of the starter syllabus, starting on page 13, has a few different examples of language for: Access and Accommodations Accommodations for Religious Observances Your (Students’) Wellbeing Basic Needs Respect for Diversity Academic Integrity Student Experience Surveys (Designated) Reporting Obligations Academic…

September 28, 2023

Holvey Recall

As many of you know, UFCW Local 555 has launched an effort to recall State Representative Paul Holvey. Holvey has represented District 8, which includes most of south Eugene, in the Oregon legislature for the past 18 years. We believe this recall effort is misguided. Representative Holvey’s record has been exemplary in support of workers, consumers, and small businesses. He is a former union carpenter with deep roots in the labor movement and has a solid track record of improving the lives of working Oregonians. He has consistently supported increased funding for education at all levels. This recall effort stems…

February 20, 2023

Solidarity with UA Student Workers

University of Oregon United Academics supports UO Student Workers’ unionization efforts and stands in solidarity with workers’ struggle to improve working conditions on campus. Additionally, UOUA condemns the ongoing anti-union and union busting behavior of the University of Oregon, including but not limited to: Threatening student workers’ jobs or rights to organize. Discouraging or banning discussion of UOSW’s unionization efforts during work time (when other non-work related discussions are permitted). Discouraging or banning students from card-signing in campus spaces and workplaces while off-the-clock. The removal of protected union posters and materials from work-neutral spaces. The discriminatory banning of union pins…

June 29, 2022

Balancing Work and Caregiving: A Best Practices Teach-In Summary

Throughout 2021-2022, United Academics and members from the CSWS Caregiver Campaign continued their collaborative efforts to push the University of Oregon administration to address issues of equity and inclusion for UO faculty struggling to balance the demands of caregiving while fulfilling their employment expectations. On April 27, we hosted a joint zoom teach-in with 43 attendees. The contents of this report lay out the scope of the issues but also provide hands-on practical strategies to address challenges that have existed long before the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a video recording of the Teach-In available on the CSWS website, as well…

September 13, 2021

COVID Planning: The Work Continues

Dear colleagues, Many of you have read the petition sent by CSWS recently to the Office of the Provost. UAUO fully agrees with the concerns Professors Escallón, McKinley, and Stephen articulated, and we are also in full support of their ask that “caregivers of unvaccinated children (children under 12) can continue to teach and attend meetings [remotely] at least until their family members receive the vaccine.” We’ve also heard from faculty whose health puts them at serious risk by being in-person, yet they cannot qualify for ADA accommodations. And for those of us who are able to come back to campus, we…

June 28, 2021

UAUO Protest Pollack-Pelzner Linfield University

Recently the President of Linfield University, Miles K. Davis, summarily fired Professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a Shakespeare scholar who had held an endowed chair in the Department of English and had represented the faculty as a member of the Board of Trustees. According to the university administration, Pollack-Pelzner was terminated for reasons unrelated to his achievements as a teacher, researcher, or publishing scholar. Rather, the administration states that he was sacked because he had “engaged in conduct that is harmful to the university,” specifically that he had “violated instructions to preserve the attorney-client privilege” and that he had “circulated false statements…

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