By SUSAN JONES

Jen Goeckeler-Fried, chair of the Pitt Staff Union bargaining committee, which is in the middle of negotiating its first contract with the University, says they increasingly have to threaten to file challenges with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) to get requested information.

On Nov. 7, the union, which is part of the United Steelworkers, notified members of the bargaining unit that it was going to trial at the PLRB. “Throughout negotiations, we’ve dealt with Pitt’s administration dragging their feet on proposals and responses, failing to provide important info, attempting to deal directly with staff outside bargaining, making unfair changes to working conditions, and attempting to make unlawful changes to our benefits. Pitt’s lack of accountability forced us to file charges over some of these issues to seek resolution. This is the first of what could be several trials over various charges.”

A Pitt spokesman said, “The University vehemently refutes the United Steelworkers’ characterization of its conduct during bargaining and is currently defending its lawful actions at the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board in response to the USW’s charges.

“The University will continue to negotiate in good faith and with a firm commitment to working with the USW to reach a collective bargaining agreement that reflects the University’s need to responsibly manage its operations and resources in order to fulfill its mission, while respecting and valuing staff members’ incredible contributions to the Pitt community.”    

Goeckeler-Fried said the specific issue at the Nov. 7 hearing was about changes to flexible work agreements that have forced some staff who were hired to be fully remote being told they had to be in the office three days a week. The union argues that this is an unlawful change. The hearing on that issue will continue on Dec. 15.

On other issues, the problem, Goeckeler-Fried said, is that “in order to put together our proposals, we often require information from the university. For example, when we want to talk about benefits, we want to know how many staff are using the benefits as aggregate, aggregate data — no individuals are identified — so that we know what our priorities should be.

“We request this information from the University, and we give them a timeframe to provide it. Time after time, they have been failing to provide the requested information until we file charges, and miraculously, before the hearings happen, we get the information.”

The University has now provided the benefits information, both sides say.

“The University’s bargaining team, with the support of several departments throughout the University, worked diligently to secure the voluminous amount of economic and benefits-related information requested by the USW and has delivered the information to the USW,” a Pitt spokesman said.

Other issues

At last week’s Senate Council meeting, Chancellor Joan Gabel said the staff union and Pitt  have reached tentative agreements on 13 topics and have 15 actively under negotiation.

One of the issues under negotiation is requiring a six month provisional period if an employee is promoted, reclassified or transferred into a new position.

The union argues that during these provisional periods “if you don’t perform adequately according to your supervisor, you can be fired,” Goeckeler-Fried said. The union has proposed a shorter trial period with the right to return to the previous job or a similar one if the new position doesn’t work out.

The University has been “willing to talk about it, but are holding firm that these provisional periods should apply,” she said. “… We hear about this from a lot of staff. It really resonates with people that they don’t want to have to go through another provisional period.”

The two sides are also meeting again to discuss who should and shouldn’t be in the bargaining unit, after a meeting this summer was canceled.

“There are a lot of staff who still have lingering questions about whether they should or should not be in the bargaining unit,” Goeckeler-Fried said. “The decision initially was made by the (PLRB) with information that Pitt provided to them. Changing someone’s assignment in or out of the bargaining unit is very complicated, and it requires discussions between the union and the University and ultimately that decision will reside with the PLRB.”

A list of who is in the bargaining unit, as of Oct. 1, can be found on the University’s staff unionization website.

“From a union perspective, of course, we want to have as many people included as possible,” Goeckeler-Fried said, “but we also understand that there are people who probably should not be in the unit, and who who might, right now, be considered part of it. We want to make sure that we handle these carefully and with consideration, but ultimately, want to make the right decisions.”

The two sides have been meeting twice and month. The next bargaining session is Dec. 11.

Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.

 

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