We are writing to let you know that bargaining between the United Faculty of Florida and the University of West Florida for the automatic re-opener of the Collective Bargaining Agreement has concluded. This year there were few changes and all were minor. It is important to ratify the changes made in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the UFF Executive Committee recommends a YES vote for ratification.

In summary: There is one Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) affecting salaries, and two minor changes in contract language.

The first and most important issue is that UFF and the University reached an agreement ("Memorandum of Understanding #3”) that if the University’s financial circumstances are resolved such that there will be an opportunity to negotiate salary increases for the bargaining unit, we will come back to the table on this issue. We at UFF are optimistic that such resolution is possible and we hope to be back at the bargaining table soon.

Two other MOUs were signed. One involves released time for the UFF Chapter President. The second allowed the University to distribute promotional raises to affected faculty, an issue that is addressed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. These two MOUs do not require ratification because they do not change the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

There are only minor changes in two articles of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

1. Article 25 (“Salary”) was modified so that bargaining unit members could receive the $1000 bonus allocated by the Florida Legislature. UFF understands that a bonus does not address the problem of salaries at the University, but it seemed prudent to make changes that would permit receiving the only increase allocated by the Legislature for bargaining unit members this year.

2. In "Article 23 (“Other Faculty Rights”), language was added so that a bargaining unit member who complains in writing about potentially unsafe working conditions will receive a copy of any investigative report regarding the potentially unsafe conditions. This would be useful should faculty determine that other action is needed.

The two relevant Memoranda of Understanding appear below, as well as the “new” and “old” versions of the relevant sections of Articles 23 and 25. (Added material is underlined in the new versions.) Please consider how you will vote with respect to ratification of these changes. UFF is pleased to present the outcome of this year’s re-opener for your consideration and we hope that you will ratify the changes.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTING APPEAR ON THE BALLOT. DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF VOTES IS FRIDAY, NOV. 2, 2007, 5 PM.