FAQ on Recent Bargaining Issues

In fall 2012, President Machen offered a 3% raise, but it came with a catch: losing the sick-leave pay-out on separation from UF. The Union took the view that the 3% raise was an inadequate payment for loss of the sick leave pay-out: most faculty would be net losers in the exchange. The Union made a counter-offer in which the sick-leave pay-out would be phased out over ten years. The administration came back suggesting a faster phase-out, one still to the disadvantage of many faculty. We then proposed that individuals be given the choice between accepting the 'raise' and retaining the pay-out. This, too, was rejected by the administration. Our colleagues outside the bargaining unit (College of Medicine, IFAS and College of Law) had no choice and had to accept the offer. They have lost the sick-leave pay-out.

The proposal to do away with the SPP (Salary Performance Program) came from the administration. They wanted it gone and were interested in a substantial overhaul of the rewards program that is still under discussion. Over the years, the SPP program has been starved into a non-entity. In the beginning, more than 70% of the faculty, once they qualified, were awarded the raise. In recent years, the money allocated to the program has been so reduced that (after significant self filtering, many faculty simply don't apply) the award percentage this year was 50% for the bargaining unit.

The Union fought hard to keep the pay-out of accrued sick leave upon separation from the university, and succeeded in preserving this benefit for current bargaining unit employees with ten or more years of service. However, employees hired as of April 1, 2010 will not be able to cash out their accrued sick leave. UF employees outside of the bargaining unit (that is, those not covered by the CBA) who are separating from UF as of 2016 have lost the benefit of cashing out their accrued sick leave. For more information, see “2012: 3% Raise for Out-of-Unit Faculty” (link) and CBA article 21.8 Leaves Due to Illness or Injury, (5) Payment for unused Sick Leave. (link)