A secluded setting and a strong sense of purpose helped shape an extremely productive retreat for the UUP Negotiations Team and Negotiations Committee in December, as the two work groups met for three days to discuss a draft proposal to the state.

An atmosphere of intense focus and 12-hour days marked the gathering.

“All of the issues were thoroughly discussed,” UUP Vice President for Academics and Chief Negotiator Frederick Floss said. “I was really pleased to see the issues that the Negotiations Team and Negotiations Committee brought up were the same ones we heard throughout the state in the fall.”

The retreat brought together a group as diverse as UUP’s membership, with academics and professionals from all 33 UUP chapters attending. Charts lined the main meeting room, one for each chapter, each one summarizing the main issues of concern particular to that chapter. Team and committee members spent time during breaks and before and after their work sessions studying the summaries.

Members’ concerns are part of the process

The two work groups drew on a number of resources in assessing members’ concerns. The fall “Listening Tour” brought Negotiation Team members to every UUP chapter in the state, where Team members heard members’ questions and opinions during chapter meetings. The work groups also studied the member suggestion forms that chapter members filled out from around the state, as well as the 7,000 negotiations surveys that members completed. And, for the first time ever, the work groups have had access to a detailed demographic breakdown of the union membership.

The Ad Hoc Advisory Committee members at each chapter also forwarded member input to the Negotiations Team and Negotiations Committee, based on campus meetings and one-on-one conversations with members. Finally, members spoke up during a hearing at the Fall Delegate Assembly and will have a chance to do so again at the Winter DA Feb. 9-10.

An inclusive approach

These many opportunities for members to speak up are the hallmark of the UUP negotiations process, which is arguably the most democratic, inclusive such contract process of any higher education union in the country, said Negotiations Vice Chair Michael Smiles of SUNY Farmingdale.

“The Ad Hoc Advisory Committee members were exceptionally helpful and exceptionally well organized,” Smiles said. “Their role in this process brought the individual chapters to the forefront.”

UUP Director of Research Thomas Kriger presented an analysis of the negotiations survey results that the work groups noted and found extremely helpful.

Next in the process: The Negotiations Team was scheduled to meet in mid-January to put together a conceptual proposal to the state. The Negotiations Team and the Negotiations Committee will meet Feb. 2 so that the committee can accept the conceptual proposal. The Negotiations Team will most likely meet with the state later this month to exchange proposals.

“We will continue to keep the membership informed. Look for an update on the process at this month’s Winter DA, as well as another opportunity to make your voices heard,” Floss said.

— Darryl McGrath