U of MN Contract Negotiations 2013

Agenda: 12: :15 Welcome, agenda review 12: :35 Vote on Negotiating Priorities Overall priorities Priorities for wages Priorities for benefits Priorities for job security Priorities for working conditions Other issues Support for proposals from other AFSCME locals 12:35- 12:40 Recruit volunteers to work on topic areas 12:40- 12:50 Defending and expanding our benefits Coordination with Civil Service on demanding benefit parity with P&A staff What we are doing so far to respond so far to the attacks on our health insurance New ideas 12: :55 Set next meeting; announcements.

Overall priorities :

Overall priorities – 3801:

Wages:  Top priorities: Maintaining steps. Across the board increases that at a minimum match the cost of living increases. Raising the scales by adding steps at the top and taking steps from the bottom.  Fixing the step system: Step compression If somebody is hired at a higher step than those people currently working in the department, everybody will be raised to at least the same step as the newly hired person. Mandate a system for determining what step a person is hired at, based on education and experience.  Additional wage suggestions: Increasing the accrual rates for vacation and sick leave. Having people move up a step every six months for the next two years, rather than just one step per year to make up for previous step freezes. Closing the University (with paid days off) between Christmas and New Years Adding paid holidays throughout the year, including Administrative Professionals Day.

Priorities for Benefits:  No increases in premiums or co-pays.  Institute a wage-based (i.e. sliding scale) model for premiums.  Additional benefits proposals: Benefits parity with P&A staff, particularly regarding parental leave and pension contributions. Addition of glasses and contact coverage. Continue with premium relief program. Continue the Wellness Program. Premium rates for part-time workers shall be the same as for full-time workers. There shall be no discrimination in insurance provisions based on gender identity.

Priorities for Job Security:  Strengthen language to protect people from being laid off and expanding options for people who are laid off. University-wide bumping. Strengthening seniority rights. Elimination of selection criteria. Elimination of subsequent probation. Extending the layoff notification period. Internal hiring priority Greater access to technology training and skills development courses.  Introduce language to mandate sane staffing ratios.

Priorities for Working Conditions:  Anti-bullying or respectful workplace language.  Augmentation for increased workload due to staffing reductions.  Stronger flex scheduling language.  No clerical worker shall be supervised by a person who has not been thoroughly trained as a supervisor.

Other priority proposals:  Full restoration of the Regents Scholarship.  Bereavement leave separate from sick or vacation.  We will support proposals being advanced by the technical and health care locals, unless they directly conflict with one of our priorities.

Next steps for priorities:  Volunteers needed to develop materials and actions on priority issues: Living Wage Defending Health Insurance Parity with P&A Parents Regents Scholarship Restoration Respectful Workplace and Supervisors Sane Staffing Ratios

Defending our Benefits:  Coordination with Civil Service on demanding benefit parity with P&A staff  What we are doing so far to respond so far to the attacks on our health insurance  New ideas

Next Steps and Wrap-up:  Regents Public Budget Hearing: June 5 at 12:30  Proposed next Assembly meeting – Tuesday, June 18  Support extending bargaining rights to child care and home care workers.  Take solidarity photo for AFSCME local 3299 (UC workers going on strike next week).