Faculty at O.U. don’t belong to a union and don’t have collective representation. But make no mistake: someone is speaking on your behalf, if not in your interests.
Easy come, easy go
As part of Vision Ohio, the Provost established a committee on faculty compensation, which decided that $1.2 million in salary and benefits per year for five years would be enough to make our faculty salaries competitive with our peers. The five years are barely underway and the Provost has formed a new committee to revisit the findings of the first committee. Meanwhile, a Budget Planning Committee is wondering whether even cost of living adjustments are possible next year. From rosy promises to dire warnings: Wouldn’t it be nice to have had a real voice in what faculty want?
Slow death by committee
Your health care benefits are being discussed by a Health Benefits Committee whose membership is determined by the President and Vice President for Administration. Over the years, the composition and members of the committee has changed repeatedly, and some faculty who have volunteered or been nominated to serve have been denied a seat at the table. Created by the administration with little or no input from faculty, these committees can be convened or disbanded at will. Finally, committee recommendations can be and often are ignored outright.
Shell games
At this moment, the Health Benefits Committee is considering changes in our health benefits that would shift as much as $5 million from the university to individual employees. In the recent past, surpluses have been moved around and premiums raised without faculty consent (as required in the Faculty Handbook). It takes close and constant watch to see how our salaries and benefits are really being treated.
The difference collective bargaining makes
If we had a collective bargaining agreement in place, you would have elected representation when all these sorts of decisions are made. You would have a binding contract and know better what the immediate future holds. And those who represented you would be accountable to you. That’s how AAUP representation works.
So, who is speaking for you? And how effective is their voice on your behalf?
Contact OU-AAUP President Kevin Uhalde (uhalde@ohio.edu / kevin.uhalde@gmail.com) for more details about collective bargaining and the OU-AAUP card drive.
