This is a correction to our previous email; our next bargaining session with the SVA administration will take place on January 7th, from 4-6PM.

You can RSVP to join the session as a faculty observer here. 

At our third bargaining session, SVA’s bargaining team responded to our proposals from December 8th with seven (7) counterproposals, and informed us they were working on additional responses to others. Watch our most recent bargaining update on Instagram here.

We are happy to announce that we quickly reached tentative agreements (TAs) on two of our initial proposals: Severability, and Recognition. We look forward to continued progress in our negotiations towards a strong first contract with the SVA administration in the future. You can review all our proposals and the SVA administration's proposals here.

Get more involved in our effort to win a strong first contract! Here are a few upcoming opportunities:

• Join bargaining as an observer: Our next bargaining sessions will be January 6th, January 22nd, February 9th, and February 17th, all from 4:00-6:00pm - please save the date to join our session as a faculty observer.  
  
• Share a faculty testimonial: Follow us on Instagram to hear from more SVA faculty on why winning a strong contract will help improve our experience – and that of our students – at SVA. Reply to this email to share your own testimonial on what matters to you.

This week, SVA’s bargaining team presented counterproposals to our articles from the previous week: Non-Discrimination and Harassment; Health & Safety; Generative Artificial Intelligence; Meeting Space; Discipline and Discharge; Union Access; and Academic Freedom and First Amendment Rights. They also rejected our proposal on Employment Records. We are in the process of reviewing these proposals to determine a response.

We are disappointed by SVA’s initial counterproposal on non-discrimination and harassment. We proposed an efficient and fair process that would allow faculty to take claims regarding harassment, discrimination, or bullying behavior to a neutral, third-party arbitrator with the support of union representatives. SVA’s counter would bar this, instead potentially forcing faculty seeking recourse into lengthy and burdensome court or government agency processes.

Finally, you can find a brief summary of the proposals we have discussed with SVA’s administration so far below. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions or thoughts.

Summary of SVA/FAC-UAW Proposals:

Recognition (TA): would codify official recognition of our union (SVA/FAC-UAW)

Severability (TA): would protect remainder of contract if one provision is declared unlawful and ensure our right to bargain over any impacts

Employment Records: would ensure faculty access to accurate employment records

Meeting Space: would allow faculty adequate space at SVA for future faculty union meetings

Prohibition Against Discrimination and Harassment: would ensure protections against discrimination, harassment, bullying, or abusive conduct and enshrines the right to seek recourse for such behavior through a fair, efficient, and neutral process

Grievance and Arbitration Procedure: would allow faculty to take a grievance to a neutral third party if they were unable to reach a satisfactory resolution with the School, establishing a fair process in which provisions in our future contract can be enforced

Discipline and Discharge: would enshrine due process rights and create a fair process for progressive discipline in the case that the School is contemplating disciplinary action

Union Access: would guarantee our union representatives access to SVA to assist and meet with faculty regarding union matters

Bulletins and Posting: would ensure faculty have the same communication access as the School and other groups for notices, and allow space for union representatives to post union-related notices in School buildings and online platforms

Job Posting: would establish fair and transparent policies for the filling of vacant faculty positions

Faculty Appointments: would establish standards for job security and clear expectations around appointment, including minimum appointment and reappointment lengths, predictable schedules, protections against course cancellation, timelines and content for notifications of offers of appointment and description of assignment

Health and Safety: would present safety measures that SVA will enact and continue to maintain to keep faculty members safe, healthy, and prepared, which allow us to focus all our efforts and attention on our teaching

Academic Freedom: would align our contract with those principles already stated in the SVA policy handbook to ensure faculty speech is protected on campus

Generative Artificial Intelligence: would enshrine necessary protections of faculty’s materials and intellectual property

Bargaining Unit Information: would ensure that our faculty receives basic benefits information and regularly updated lists once our contract is in place, so we can effectively communicate with unit members

Union Security and Checkoff: would ensure that faculty contribute equally to the cost of representation once we have ratified our contract

V-CAP (Voluntary Contributions) Checkoff: would allow faculty to voluntary elect that a portion of union dues go towards contributions to political candidates

Successorship: would preserve our contract if ownership of SVA is transferred

Faculty Rights and Administrative Transparency: Establish structures that will uphold SVA’s core value of citizenship, as articulated as accessible leadership, minimal hierarchy, and a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation

Wishing you all a restful break. Happy Holidays!

Joan Hilty, BFA Comics
On behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee