We acknowledge that this can be a lot to read, but as the timeline to reach an agreement becomes narrower and narrower, we ask that please take the time to read and share with us your thoughts. Your voice matters tremendously in this process. Thank you all!
Today at the bargaining meeting the university shared its 6th Supposal with ASEs, some notable changes included:
- UCS2s* and UCS3s* are salaried positions, as opposed to the previously proposed hourly
- UCS2 may teach sections of up to 40 students
- Optional Fee Remission: ASEs may elect to receive part or all of their compensation as tuition and fee remission.
- The University shared an intent to appoint a minimum of 10.1 staff hours per enrolled student which would represent a 15% increase over 2022-23 hiring process, however there is no guarantee that staffing would increase. To account for this, if the University appointed fewer staff hours than the minimum stated, it must receive written approval from the union to continue to appoint UCS1, UCS2, and UCS3 positions, and if no approval is given then the university may still appoint Reader, Tutor, and GSI roles as per the collective bargaining agreement.
*Due to feedback, the CS1, CS2, and CS3 position have been renamed UCS1, UCS2, UCS3
In response to the 40 student section limit, ASEs proposed that there are lab sections that hold around 60 students and asked if this could be reflected in the supposal. In regards to fee remissions, ASEs maintained that throughout the bargaining process we have made considerable concessions in regards to fee remissions, and that 8 hour fee remission at 40% – the current amount of fee remission guaranteed to 8-hour uGSIs – is the lowest we are willing to compromise on.
After hearing the latest supposal from ASEs, a few comments were made calling into question the integrity of the ASE bargaining team as an accurate representation of workers in the EECS and DSUS departments. John DeNero, representing the university, claimed that the ASEs present had not done a sufficient job bringing the voices of ASEs in the department to the table and that a proposal that lacked this would not be approved by the university.
The bargaining session ended with a discussion on potential next steps for selecting a mediator in which the University expressed the desire to have a mediator from the state facilitate the mediation process, as opposed to the mediator proposed by ASEs, Barry Winograd, former President of the National Academy of Arbitrators, over financial concerns and a belief that Winograd would not be able to adequately resolve the situation. DeNero specifically noted that he believes Winograd “lacks basic quantitative reasoning”.
Returning to the claims that were made in the bargaining process, we just wanted to thank everyone who has taken the time to read these emails and keep up with what has been going on these past few weeks. Your contributions have been invaluable and essential to securing an equitable and sustainable future for EECS/DS Students. On this note, it is now more than ever we need your support to show the University that our students and staff deserve better than what has been proposed. We need you to show up to bargaining meetings to voice your concerns and remind the University of the value that you all provide to students, learning, and the institution as a whole.
Upcoming Bargaining Sessions:
- Wednesday, March 22
- Pre-caucus: 2:30-3:10 p.m. in Soda 511
- Bargaining Session: 3:10 – 5 p.m in Soda 380
You can also join the bargaining sessions via Zoom at https://berkeley.zoom.us/j/95216694463. Caucuses are not accessible via this Zoom. If you are an ASE who would like to join the caucuses virtually, please let me know and we will send you a special Zoom link. (edited