UE Local 267's negotiating committee has begun negotiations with the University. Our contract expires on June 30th of this year. Before wages and benefits are negotiated, the Union and UVM bargain "language" items of the agreement.

Recently the Union gave UVM a proposal which would greatly increase the chances that senior employees would stay working in the case of a layoff. Under the current contract, a laid off employee has 3 options. The employee can lay off the least senior person in the employee's classification or the least senior person in a classification (same pay or lower) the employee use to hold or the employee can bump the least senior custodian.

The problem with this language is that it provides laid off employees with too few options, and it is disrepectful to custodians. This system means that it is likely that senior employees could be laid off before new hires.

The union proposed language which would allow laid off employees to "bump" less (not least) senior employees in any classification (same pay or lower) so long as the laid off employee was qualified to do the work or could learn the job quickly. Under this system, senior employees are protected and custodians are no longer automatic targets for layoff.

The University's response was disappointing. Instead of listening and addressing the concerns of the Union about respecting employees, UVM gave us a counter which would eliminate one of the three existing options employees have and thus restrict (not increase) the laid off employee's options. The Unversity wants the Union to rely on UVM's "good will" to work out solutions in the event of possible layoffs without being contractually tied to specific contract language.

The Union told UVM that its response is unacceptable. We have heard from our members that it is a priority to improve the layoff and recall language of the contract so that senior employees will be less (not more) vulnerable in the event of a layoff.

Watch this site for more updates on negotiations. The Union is scheduled to meet with the University again on Monday, May 4 at 8 a.m.