Update on Bargaining with College NTT Union
Dear Colleagues,
As you may know, the non-tenure track faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are now represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 721, and we are in the process of negotiating the first Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The University has learned that the Union is calling for a vote this week to authorize a strike. We wanted to provide faculty with a status update in light of these developments.
The University began negotiations with SEIU in September, 2024, has made itself available for all SEIU scheduled sessions, and has bargained in good faith throughout the process (SEIU declined to meet between December 19th and February 10th). The two sides have exchanged numerous proposals and are making progress toward an agreement. The parties are still far apart in some areas, but it is our hope that an agreement will be reached.
Some context: the current salary and benefits demand from SEIU would require more than $6.5 million of revenue, with an additional 5% guaranteed salary increase during each year of the agreement. This amount is the equivalent of a 9% undergraduate tuition increase (to read more about SEIU’s demands, see attached Appendix A). The administration has a duty to steward USD’s financial resources; USD will not agree to conditions that are not financially sustainable.
The USD bargaining team has used the 2023 Academic Assembly report on NTT faculty (created by and for NTT faculty) as a guide during negotiations to help establish criteria for meaningful instructional evaluations, paths for promotion, and clear workload models with a goal to create more multi-year full-time positions. USD is committed to supporting NTT faculty and will continue to implement initiatives that support the University’s mission.
During the negotiations, College operations have been in “status quo,” meaning that College-specific policies or procedures have not been modified. The College will continue to collaborate with department chairs and program directors to ensure that students are offered a robust curriculum to meet the requirements of their degree program.
The next bargaining session is scheduled for April 28, 2025. USD hopes to continue to work with SEIU to establish a fiscally responsible CBA that both benefits our NTT colleagues while also protecting the long-term wellbeing of the entire USD community.
Karen Haggenmiller, Chief Human Resources Officer
Frances Kuhn, CAS Budget Officer
Kristin Moran, CAS Associate Dean
Tom Skinner, Chief Legal Officer and Advisor to the President and Board
Jillian Tullis, CAS Associate Dean
Appendix A- Summary of CAS NTT Union Demands
Summary of CAS NTT Union Demands
A summary of the demands from SEIU is below. They are organized by the economic proposals, non-economic proposals that have an effect on economics, and truly non-economic. This is not an all-inclusive list but provides an overview of the proposals expected to have the highest impact.
| Economic Proposals |
| 1. |
An immediate 12.5% salary/stipend increase and a $3500 ratification bonus. Even part time NTTs would receive the full bonus. |
| 2. |
Base compensation for all unit full-time members shall be $80,000. On top of this, they are seeking 5% raises each year. The Union also seeks an increase on top of the base salary for all degrees a unit member has, up to 15% on top of their base salary for a PhD and 5% for a Masters. Then, the Union’s model provides for additional percentage increases that correspond to years of teaching. If a unit member has taught the equivalent of 10 years for example, their salary will be increased on top of the base salary by 10%. |
| 3. |
For non-benefits based unit members, a 15% increase to base salary to cover healthcare costs, even if the unit member has coverage through a spouse or elsewhere. |
| 4. |
Regarding course enrollment, if a class is cancelled before July 20 for a Fall semester or before December 20, for a Spring semester, the University shall compensate that unit member at 25% of what the University would have paid for the unit member to teach the course and the University must compensate them at 50% of the cost to teach the course if the course is cancelled after those dates. And if the University changes the course a unit member is assigned to, the University must increase the unit member’s base compensation for the course, by 10% based on their full time salary. |
| 5. |
Free parking for all faculty. If a unit member walks, bikes or carpools, that unit member shall be compensated $100 every 6 months. |
| 6. |
Regarding the parking trams, if a tram is late and a unit member has to wait more than 10 minutes as a result, the unit member logs their time under Workday, and shall be compensated for at least 1 hour of their time. If a late tram incident occurs more than five times in a month, the University must share data concerning the reports of late trams with the Labor Management Committee, and the issue will be added to the Labor Management Committee agenda. |
| 7. |
A Professional Development and Training Opportunities Fund for unit members up to $3000 a year per unit member for costs associated with professional activities including conferences, seminars and other research and education opportunities. The fund must be at least $150,000 each academic year. |
| 8. |
Unit members along with spouses and eligible dependents shall qualify for tuition remission and tuition exchange. |
| 9. |
A down payment assistance program where unit members with five or more years of service to USD will get $100,000 as a stipend toward a down payment on a home. |
| 10. |
Sabbatical leave after teaching 192 instructional units (8 years at 24 units as full time workload) for one semester at 100% pay, or two semesters at 50% pay. This leave will not impact rehire rights or maintenance of workload. |
| 11. |
If an employment contract is not received 30 days before the start of a semester, the unit member shall be compensated by three weeks worth of pay for the disruption to planning. Three weeks of pay will also be awarded for contract modifications made within the 30-day window. |
| Non-Economic Proposals with Economic Impact |
| 12. |
Maintaining unit members workload: unit members shall be assigned a workload every semester no less than the highest median workload achieved over any three consecutive fall or spring semesters. They are also seeking a multi-year contract progression where employees with more seniority acquire longer contracts. For example, a unit member with 3 years of service will have at least a 3-year contract. |
| 13. |
The Unit members want to reserve the right to contest the number of units assigned to each course. The unit members are also seeking compensation for non-teaching service duties, including through course release. |
| 14. |
If a unit member’s work authorization expires during their contract, USD should commit to sponsoring a visa for that unit member for the remainder of their contract and any subsequent employment by the University. |
| 15. |
Regarding new hires, USD must provide time for the Union to make a presentation to new unit employees during orientation. |
| 16. |
A unit member who, within the past two academic years, successfully completes an assignment in the bargaining unit, and is not terminated in writing immediately thereafter, acquires rehire rights. If additional sections of certain classes are needed to meet student demands, these sections must first be offered to part-time unit members, and then full-time unit members. USD must offer any new teaching opportunity to unit members currently teaching or who have taught at least two (2) courses in the past two academic years who are qualified and available, in seniority order, before a new unit member can be hired. |
| 17. |
The Union wants the right to post flyers on any bulletin boards on campus, even in schools where CAS employees do not work. They are also seeking compensation equivalent to that of a 3-credit course to two unit members per semester to conduct Union business. |
| Non-Economic Proposals |
| 18. |
Access to all department meetings and full voting rights in such meetings except for on matters involving rank and tenure decisions for tenure track faculty. |
| 19. |
USD must follow a five-step progressive discipline plan. Even if the NTT commits an egregious act (e.g. assault on a student), the five steps are required. The Union also wants any discipline to be grievable. |
| 20. |
An academic freedom policy different than the current University policy including the ability to determine the content, methods, and manner of teaching including the selection of course materials. USD would have a duty to disclose any “complaints,” made by students, faculty, third parties, etc. to the faculty regarding their course content. |
| 21. |
SEIU has refused to agree to our proposed, standard no strike/no lockout provision which was taken verbatim from Local 721’s CBA at Occidental College. They have also recently challenged the idea of a zipper clause and management rights clause. |
| 22. |
The Union continues to push for a maintenance of workload provision that would equate them to tenure track faculty in practice. |
Prepared April 21, 2025.
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