On Monday, we met with the SVA administration for our sixth bargaining session. We brought counters and made progress on a number of topics, including Discipline and Discharge, Bulletins and Posting, Health and Safety, Meeting Space, Academic Freedom, and Bargaining Unit Information. Unfortunately, the SVA administration did not bring any counterproposals to our session, so there are a number of items they've not yet addressed.

You can watch a recap of our session here!

We also discussed our previous request for information, and asked for more clarity on a few subjects that the administration has so far declined to provide. SVA agreed they could share additional course cancellation data, which will help inform our future economic proposals.

Finally, we responded to and expressed dismay regarding SVA’s former counterproposal on Harassment and Discrimination. While SVA has indicated that they're committed to a respectful work environment, their proposal would prohibit faculty from the option to seek recourse for bullying, harassment and discrimination through a neutral third party arbitrator, with the help of union representatives. Instead, faculty would only be able to address workplace harassment through Human Resources (HR), or the legal system – a process which is not only potentially expensive, but could take many years before a resolution.

Two faculty members joined us Monday to describe their personal experience of harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation, and how the existing mechanisms to address this behavior at SVA were inadequate.Their testimonials were stirring, vivid examples that pointed directly to faculty need for protections in the workplace. If SVA is truly committed to meaningful protections for bullying, harassment and discrimination, they would engage with us more around this critical part of our proposal.

SVA's team listened carefully to our colleagues' testimonials, and we hope they will take it to heart as they prepare their counterproposal.

Upcoming Events

• Our next bargaining session will be Tuesday, February 17th at 4PM. RSVP to bargaining sessions here.
• Watch Union! hosted by SVA Faculty United-UAW! Join colleagues for a movie night on February 26th at 6:30PM (Room 101C, 133 West 21st Street) to watch the film Union! about Amazon workers’ organizing victory and long-term campaign.
• ICYMI: Add your name in support of a fair contract, and to urge the SVA administration to restore raises and retirement benefits. Sign our petition here.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts, or if you wish to get more involved in our effort.

Best,

Edwin Rivera-Arias, Humanities & Sciences
on behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee