2001-2003 UF/GAU Collective Bargaining Agreement

Winfred M. Phillips, Vice President

The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the University of Florida and the Graduate Assistants United Faculty of Florida 2001-2003 is now available. For the complete text, please see www.aa.ufl.edu/aa/aapers/index.htm. The substantive changes are summarized below.

Article 2 – Appointments, Reappointments, and Terminations: 2.4 (c) Notice. “When the President or representative has reason to believe that the employee’s presence on the job will adversely affect the operation of the university, the President or representative may immediately place the employee on leave with pay, pending investigation of the event(s) leading to that belief. However, such leave with pay shall not extend beyond the semester in which the action by the President or representative was taken.”

Article 3 – Employment Performance Evaluation: 3.3 Observations and Visitations. The new language requires that a copy of comments shall be given to the employee no later than two weeks following the observation and the employee has the right to respond to the written comments.

Article 8 – Nondiscrimination: 8.1 Policy. “The University and the Board agree that personnel decisions, including reappointment, promotion, evaluation and disciplining of an employee, shall be based solely on job-related criteria and performance.”

8.1(3)- Should state or federal law establish sexual orientation as a protected category for claims of discrimination during the term of this Agreement, the Board and the UFF-GAU agree to reopen negotiations pursuant to Section 21.2.

Article 10 – Leaves of Absence: 10.1(a). The definition of “immediate family” has been expanded to include “a person in a legal dependent relationship with the employee.”

Three sections have been added to 10.1:

(b)  The university is closed for a state holiday or a declared emergency, unless the special conditions of the appointment require the employee to perform duties at these times. These days shall not be held against the employee with regard to permitted days of leave pursuant to Section 10.2.

(c)  Taking examinations for professional licensing related to the degree or qualifying examinations as required by the university. These days shall not be held against the employee with regard to permitted days of leave pursuant to Section 10.2.

(d)  Traveling to conferences or other events for professional development. The Board and the UFF-GAU encourage supervisors to facilitate professional development and approval of attendance at such events shall not be unreasonably denied. These days shall not be held against the employee with regard to permitted days of leave pursuant to Section 10.2.

Article 14 – GAU Privileges: 14.4 Release Time. “No more than one employee per department may be granted release time at any one time. For departments with more than 100 employees, a second employee may be granted released time with the approval of the chair/director.”

Article 18 – Other Employee Rights: 18.2 Mail. “Each department or unit shall make available a convenient mailbox for employees to receive such mail and shall notify each employee of the location. Where individual mailboxes are not provided, at least one (1) such mailbox shall be available for each letter of the alphabet that is the same as the first letter of the last name of at lease one (1) department or unit employee.”

Article 23 – Stipends: 23.2. The university and the GAU negotiated a stipend increase of 3.0%. However, the 2001-2002 Appropriations Act provided graduate assistants with a competitive pay adjustment equal to an average of 2.5%.

23.5 – Minimum Stipend. The new minimum stipend for a nine- month employee (19.5 pay periods) shall be $7,400.

23.6 – Contract and Grant Funded Increases. “In the event that adequate funds are not provided, the Board or its representatives shall seek to have the contract or grant modified to permit such increases. Nothing contained herein shall prevent employees whose salaries are funded by grant agencies from being allotted raises higher than those provided in this agreement.”

23.7 – Effective Date of Stipend Increases. Although the Agreement called for stipend increases to be effective with the beginning of the 2001-2002 academic year, “the 2001-2002 Appropriations Act established November 1, 2001 as the effective date for stipend increases.”

This is a summary of many of the changes to the Agreement. You are encouraged to consult the Agreement if specific issues arise.