United Faculty of Florida: University of South Florida
RATIFICATION BULLETIN and BALLOT
UFF/USF - USF Board of Trustees 2004-2007
Vote on Your 2004-2007 Collective Bargaining Agreement by Thursday, November
18, 2004
The United Faculty of Florida at USF (UFF/USF) and the USF Board of Trustees (BOT)
negotiators reached tentative agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement
(CBA) on October 28, 2004. All faculty and professional employees in the bargaining
unit are eligible to vote to accept or reject the new CBA. All ballots must be
received by Thursday, November 18, 2004.
If you vote “yes” to ratify, the new CBA provisions will take effect immediately, and
2004-2005 raises will be retroactive to August 7, 2004. If you vote “no,” negotiators
must return to the bargaining table to renegotiate an agreement that is satisfactory to you.
The USF-UFF bargaining team and executive officers urge you to vote “yes” on this
new CBA. An extensive vote return will convey to the Board of Trustees that we the
ranked and non-ranked faculty are seriously committed to the shared stewardship of our
professional careers. All votes will be counted publicly on Friday, November 19, 2004 at
noon in the UFF/USF office, MHH 223.
We are pleased to announce that much of our previous Agreement – the collective work
of more than 25 years of successful union bargaining – remains. A summary of the
proposed changes in the Agreement appears below. The complete text of the proposed
contract is on reserve at campus main libraries and is available at: http://w3.usf.edu/~uff
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT INCLUDE:
 PAY INCREASES
2004-2005: BONUSES: USF has guaranteed that the $1,000 bonus (less
appropriate taxes) available from funds provided by the 2004 Florida Legislature
will be distributed on December 1, 2004. Eligible employees are those who were
continuously appointed from July 1, 2004 through December 1, 2004 and whose
most recent performance evaluations are at least satisfactory.
SALARIES: USF will establish a pool of funds equal to 5% of the payroll of
eligible employees in the bargaining unit. The pool will be distributed at the
department or unit level to employees on a merit basis with a 2% guaranteed
minimum for Satisfactory performers. Of the 5% pot, 4% is to be distributed
based on performance and base salary. The additional 1% is to be distributed
based on the discretion of the chair-director. Every employee whose evaluation is
Satisfactory or better will receive a guaranteed minimum raise of 2%. Employees
may receive an additional 1% increase in base salary depending on performance
and distance from market factors.
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PROMOTIONS: Promotions are no longer funded from the salary pool but
instead from the discretionary funds of the university.
SUMMER PAY: The University and the UFF/USF agreed to maintain the
summer compensation formula as it has been. That formula requires that the
University provides compensation for summer teaching at the same rate as it
would for the same or an equivalent course taught during the regular academic
year.
OTHER FUNDS: USF and the UFF/USF agreed that the university will have the
authority to provide additional salary increases to individual faculty for situations
including promotions, verified counteroffers, increased duties and responsibilities,
extra compensation, special achievements and market equity, including
compression and inversion.
RIGHT TO GRIEVE: Language was removed that limited a salary grievance to
an allegation of unlawful discrimination or of an arbitrary and capricious
application of a section of the Salary Article.
2005-2006: To be negotiated before the beginning of the contract year.
2006-2007: To be negotiated before the beginning of the contract year.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
 Sexual orientation is included for the first time in the nondiscrimination provision of
the contract.
 A revised, 3-step grievance procedure will be in effect. The new first step of the
grievance procedure is an informal process designed to effect a less contentious
resolution of the issues in dispute at the unit level.
 Sabbaticals at 2/3rds pay have been added to the CBA.
 Consultations between UFF-USF and the President/President’s representative have
been increased from once to twice per semester.
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT,
BY ARTICLE (All significant changes between Articles in the expired 2001-2003
CBA and Articles in the 2004-2007 CBA are enumerated below):
Article 3: UFF Privileges
Released time for UFF/USF activities to include a total of six (6) units of released time
per semester and three (3) units of released time in the summer for purposes of carrying
out UFF/USF increased obligations in representing employees and administering this
CBA. This is the first contract in which release time is awarded to UFF/USF rather than
to the State UFF. A unit of released time consists of a reduction in teaching load of one
course or a 25% reduction in academic assignment for teaching employees or, for nonteaching employees, a reduction in workload of ten (10) hours per week. USF will also
provide three (3) units of released time for bargaining team members representing
UFF/USF during the semester prior to the expiration of this contract in spring 2007.
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Article 5: Academic Freedom and Responsibility
Academic responsibilities now extend to both the employee and to the USF
administration. The requirement for “collegiality” has been removed.
Article 6: Nondiscrimination
Language has been added that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Additionally, the wording “religious creed” has been changed to “religion.”
Article 12: Non-Reappointment
USF and UFF/USF now concur that non-reappointment is not a disciplinary action and
that non-reappointment shall not constitute any form of disciplinary action.
Article 20: Grievance Procedure and Arbitration
The devolution of the Board of Regents and the State University System required
changes in the grievance process. Step 1 (previously a formal review by the President or
his/her representative) is now a process of informal resolution, wherein the grievant
and/or his/her representative meet with the appropriate supervisor to attempt to resolve
the dispute. That failing, Step 2 involves a formal meeting of the grievant and/or his/her
representative with the President or his/her representative to present the grievance. The
President or his/her representative issues a written decision on the grievance within 30
days. If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved at Step 2, UFF/USF may, upon the
request of the grievant, proceed to Step 3, independent arbitration. The decision of the
arbitrator is final.
Article 22: Professional Development and Sabbaticals
Faculty are now eligible after 12 years of continuous service for a sabbatical at 2/3rds pay.
The number available is 1 per 40 eligible employees.
Article 23: Salaries
! See information in Highlights, above.
! Raises are retroactive to August 7, 2004.
Article 24: Benefits
The University and UFF/USF agreed to discuss the need and fiscal impacts of domestic
partner benefits and of tuition for spouses and children.
Article 26: Maintenance of Benefits
Tenure, rank, earned benefits, years of service, history of assignments and record of
evaluation that an employee had at USF prior to the creation of the USF Board of
Trustees shall be recognized, credited or used, as applicable.
Article 28: Miscellaneous Provisions
USF agrees to maintain a copy of the ratified CBA on the University’s website in a
prominent and readily accessible location. A free copy of the CBA in the form of a
compact disc will be provided to all employees.
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 Instructions to ensure confidentiality and validity of your vote:
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Mark Ballot
Place ballot in the plain, unmarked envelope and seal it.
DO NOT WRITE OR MARK ON THE PLAIN BALLOT
ENVELOPE
Put this plain envelope inside the pre-addressed mailing envelope and
seal it.
Sign the back flap of the outer envelope; print your name on the
front upper left corner.
Mail the pre-addressed envelope.
YOUR BALLOT MUST BE RECEIVED BY:
Thursday, November 18, 2004
BALLOT COUNTING DATE & TIME:
Friday, November 19, 2004, at noon
PLACE:
MHH 223 – UFF/USF Union Office
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