Susan Hegeman, President

This summer, UFF-UF negotiated with the UF Board of Trustees over our expected annual raise. We have reached the following settlement, pending ratification:

• For non-PKY faculty, a merit-based salary raise pool of 3.5%. Merit will be evaluated according to established departmental procedures, over the period 2011-2014.
• For PKY faculty, a total salary raise pool of 3.5%. This figure includes the annual and performance adjustments in Appendix E in the CBA. The difference between the performance adjustments and the 3.5% will be paid across the board.
• A one-time payment. Eligible faculty members whose salary on June 30, 2014 was $50,000 or less will receive $500. This amount will be pro-rated for those whose FTE is less than 1.0. Eligible faculty members will be defined as those who were employed as of June 30, 2014, and are on payroll at the time the payments are awarded. PKY faculty are included in this program.
• No change in promotion increases. They will remain at 9% of base salary.

You can find the full text of the agreement, with the relevant changes indicated, here: Article-24-Salaries-2014-15.pdf

We achieved some concrete victories. For P.K. Yonge faculty, we won raise parity with the rest of the bargaining unit. For all faculty, we insisted that the merit raises be determined based on a three-year period in order to address inequities some faculty experienced in recent years of no raises. Overall, we think we have laid groundwork for future negotiations regarding such issues as market equity, compression, and promotion raises.

Nonetheless, we strongly believe that this settlement does not adequately compensate the faculty. We have earned, and we deserve, better. Thanks to the work of the faculty, UF led the State University System in performance funds received from the legislature. The administration should recognize that work with better raises. Moreover, we asked the administration to balance merit raises with cost-of-living increases, to address market equity and compression issues, and to increase promotion raises to a level comparable with what other universities in the SUS currently offer. The administration refused to address these matters, and it refused to explain why. It merely stated, repeatedly, that 3.5% was the ceiling for this year. This despite the fact that last year the raises were higher even though the university’s budget was smaller.

Unfortunately, we had relatively few options in this summer’s bargaining, which was limited to the Salary article of the CBA. Given the various hazards of going to impasse and the unsavory prospect of delaying everyone’s raises, I decided that we should settle. Now, however, it falls to you to ratify or reject the agreement. All members of the bargaining unit–not just UFF members–are eligible to vote. Voting will take place September 17 and 18. See Events under these dates for more information.