STAFF UNION AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT ODDS IN BARGAINING
USF staff have their own union, the
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME.
Like the United Faculty of Florida, AFSCME is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, and like UFF, AFSCME is participating
in the effort in Tallahassee to limit the havoc wreaked by the legislative leadership.
USF staff went without raises for many years before
AFSCME won a 1.5 % pay raise in
bargaining in 2010,
when some staff were
not making a living wage.
The years when staff employees' purchasing power declined were the same last few years that state university funding
declined precipitously.
AFSCME and the USF Administration are negotiating a new contract between USF staff and the USF Board of Trustees.
As the Tampa Tribune reports,
the USF Administration and the workers' union are at odds over pay raise.
The Tribune oberved that the USF Administration declined to comment except to emphasize its commitment to collective
bargaining - and that several USF officials noted that USF was cut $ 45 million last year alone.
While UFF is aware of the severe financial constraints upon the university, we are concerned about the effect that
this wage recession is having on staff morale.
In addition, a failure to even implicitly recognize (at the bargaining table) AFSCME's participation in union efforts
to protect education in Florida could give AFSCME activists and USF staff the impression that we are not, after all,
in this together.
For these reasons, UFF is hopeful for a positive outcome to these negotiations.
USF staff employees who wish to support the union that represents them and protects their employment rights and
privileges are strongly encouraged to
join today.