Bargaining meetings are now all-day meetings, with a break for lunch. They will still be biweekly on Wednesdays. If you’re interested in being an SBR but haven’t been able to make the morning times, the afternoon meetings are a great opportunity to join! Make sure to fill out the SBR Interest Survey.

Main takeaways from June’s bargaining sessions:

Article 17: Vacancies and Promotions

• Both sides have agreed to modernizing language within the article. Although there was no significant movement within the article itself, both sides agreed to a side letter authorizing a joint labor-management committee to implement a pilot program of implementing major budgetary unit (MBU)-only searches with an expectation that it will expedite the process of filling vacancies.

Article 23: Seniority & Step Language

• Both sides agreed to adjust the amount of time when a laid-off employee who receives a recall notice should return to work from 3 calendar days to 10 business days. Management took hard line stances against language that would have preserved seniority in cases of illness, injury, or dismissal through no fault of the employee.

Article 27 – Grievance and Arbitration

• Both sides agreed to substantive changes within this article, making the grievance process more accessible and in line with current practices.
• In a significant win for USA members, management agreed to language regarding the final step of the grievance process, requiring the President’s Office to schedule a meeting to review the grievance and allowing the grieved employee to discuss their issue.