Greetings, colleagues, We have an important AFT-Oregon announcement and a few updates. AFT-Oregon Referendum Vote Over the next few weeks, United Academics’ members will receive postcard ballots from AFT Oregon, one of our state affiliates, to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment allowing for hybrid AFT-Oregon conventions. The UA Executive Council encourages you to vote in support of the referendum. Geographic distance and the costs of travel and lodging have long been significant barriers to participating in conventions for too many locals and their representatives. Hybrid modality will ensure a more inclusive, accessible, and transparent convention for all the members…

Hello UA Members, Many of you are experiencing on-going work-life challenges due to shortages and affordability of childcare and early education afterschool care. Please see this message below from the Co-Directors of Lane County’s Early Learning and Parenting Education Hubs. They are conducting a survey to assess the needs and shortcomings for caregivers of young and school-aged children. Dear Parents & Caregivers, The Lane Early Learning Alliance is interested in hearing from you about your wants and needs are when it comes to child care and preschool for your child(ren). We will use this information to expand access to child care…

Greetings colleagues, One of the key pieces of bargaining the two parties left for resolution after bargaining was the administration’s proposed changes to Article 31 (Tenure Reduction Plan). This message seeks to: (1) clarify the proposal under consideration, (2) foreground the eventual ratification vote and its effects, (3) elicit feedback on your preferences and values in a brief survey, and (4) invite you to informational sessions to discuss specific questions and concerns in real time. Background At the close of our negotiations last June, the administration presented a new proposal to change the Tenure Reduction Program. Because we received this new proposal…

Greetings, colleagues. I’ll be direct. This is a call to action. We find ourselves during this academic year in a pivotal moment for shared governance at the University of Oregon. To the degree we rise to meet it, we have an opportunity to shape our units, our jobs, and our institution for the better. The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) ratified in July left several key issues to an appendix of implementation agreements to be worked out over the following months and beyond, including caregiving supports; proposed changes to the Tenure Reduction Program (TRP); the role of service in our work;…

Dear UA Members, We worked hard in bargaining to get administration to acknowledge and offer institutional support for faculty caregivers. We were successful in pushing them to recognize their necessary role in making needed infrastructure a reality. As way of reminder, Article 34 “Caregiving”: Established a $500,000 Childcare Community Partnership Investment Fund to address local shortage of care providers Created annual $100,000 Travel Support Fund to offset work-related caregiving costs Purchased an institutional membership to care.com, so bargaining unit faculty members can have membership access to care.com to support individual caregiving needs. We know that many of you have questions…