Monday, February 19, 2024 marked a significant milestone for the faculty at Monmouth University as the FAMCO Bargaining Team initiated the first contract negotiation session with the university administration. Our Contract Action Team (CAT) and fellow FAMCO members displayed exhilarating enthusiasm beforehand, but the session unveiled a disheartening lack of preparation on the administration’s part (despite having hired a fancy, outside lawyer in John Romeo to run their side of the table), highlighting an apparent undervaluing of faculty needs and concerns. Despite this, FAMCO negotiators, unfazed in their commitment to advocating for Stability, Equity, Accountability, and Livelihoods with dignity (SEAL), presented a series of non-economic proposals aimed at reinforcing our shared values, enhancing support structures, and ensuring fair processes within our academic community. However, the employer’s absence of proposals and their looooong delay in reconvening signal a challenging road ahead. As we navigate these negotiations, the unity and collective action of our members will be crucial. Below is an account from this initial negotiation session, including the ongoing challenges of securing necessary information from the administration, and the vital steps FAMCO members can take to support our collective bargaining efforts. Together, wearing our “bargaining blue” S.E.A.L. the DEAL shirts every Wednesday, we stand in solidarity, pushing forward towards a fair and just contract.

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BARGAINING SESSION SYNOPSIS: February 19, 2024

This Monday, February 19, the FAMCO Bargaining Team conducted our first negotiating session with the employer from 11:30am to 2:00pm. We thank our Contract Action Team (CAT) and all our FAMCO colleagues who came this morning to cheer us on before the start of our bargaining session!

While the employer came unprepared and did not provide an opening statement and did not present any proposals, FAMCO presented a set of non-economic proposals to begin our…

Push for Stability, Equity, Accountability, and Livelihoods with Dignity (SEAL) with the Following FAMCO Proposals to…

• affirm our shared values and commitments to workplace civility;
• provide for grants office support;
• clarify graduate faculty status reappointment process;
• assure the continuation of the labor-management committee for IDEA and peer evaluations;

Right from the start, we were disappointed that the employer came to the table with no proposals. Additionally, the employer’s team told us they are unable to return to the bargaining table to present their initial proposals for at least another three weeks, sending a clear message to our faculty that our needs and concerns are not a top priority for administration.

In other news, the administration has still not provided FAMCO with the full list of information we requested back in October in anticipation of our return to the bargaining table, which previously compelled the union to file an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge against the University. This ULP charge remains open until the employer fulfills their obligation to provide the information the union is entitled to possess to bargain on behalf of the members.

On top of that, the administration has missed a second deadline to provide FAMCO new information we requested about our healthcare benefits program so that we can successfully prepare to bargain around those issues so vital for our members.

As of now, the administration has also failed to respond to our suggested follow-up dates to return to the table in the next month to begin in earnest.

What Can You Do Next to Support Your Union?

One easy thing we all can do to support our union is to turn out each Wednesday this semester wearing your new “bargaining blue” S.E.A.L. the DEAL-shirt! If you haven’t picked up your new blue shirt yet, please see your FAMCO department liaison so you are ready to “Wear It On Wednesdays” until the administration agrees to settle a fair contract for our faculty!

In the image above: fabulous FAMCO members welcomed members of the Bargaining Team in the Plangere Center on opening day! Stay on the lookout for further announcements on upcoming events planned to educate our community about the S.E.A.L. the Deal campaign, and for the next bargaining dates so that you, too, can come and support us at the table! GO FAMCO!