Dear Colleagues,

We write with an update on UFWW bargaining with the WWU administration. In Spring 2020, we had begun to bargain a new agreement when the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to extend the current contract by a year. We agreed to bargain possible salary increases for the 20/21 academic year in the fall, but those negotiations did not produce an agreement on any increases for faculty. The contract extension will expire on September 15, 2021, and for the past few months we have been working to bargain a new full contract with the administration. 

We are disappointed to report that we are unlikely to reach an agreement any time soon. The issue preventing us from reaching agreement is the administration’s unwillingness to commit to modest compensation increases for the faculty and the reason seems to be a difference in priorities. For months the administration has told us that the budget is not solid, that revenues are likely to be significantly lower than in the past, and that they simply do not have the money to commit to additional ongoing expenses in the form of faculty salary increases. The numbers, however, paint a different story. Western’s state appropriation for the next biennium increased by more than $5.5 million, Western has received more than $40 million in federal aid, and enrollments are rebounding to near 2019 levels for resident undergraduates and exceeding 2019 levels for out of state students. In addition, the budget currently being proposed contains $2.53 million in new ongoing spending and $1.5 million in new one-time spending beyond the state appropriation. All of this points to a financial picture in which investing in faculty is appropriate and doable.

So why the stalemate? When asked that question during a recent bargaining session, the administration stated that faculty salaries have increased significantly in past bargains and are no longer a priority and that other things require spending priority now. UFWW wholeheartedly disagrees. Faculty working conditions are our students’ learning conditions and to claim that appropriate compensation for faculty should no longer be a priority only weakens the university and hurts our students. All this is particularly frustrating given the huge efforts of faculty during the pandemic.

Our current proposal is for a total of 5.5 percent in salary increases for the three years 20-21, 21-22, and 22-23. This 5.5 percent is divided up into across-the-board increases, money for compression and equity adjustments, and possible one-time or retroactive payments for the current academic year. The administration’s most recent proposal is for 3.5% in total salary increases for the same years. So, as we all leave campus for the summer, a gap of approximately $2 million spread over a 3-year period is stopping us from reaching an agreement. We feel strongly that our proposal is reasonable and, frankly, is less than the Western faculty deserve. While UFWW is disheartened by the administration’s position, we are resolved to continue to prioritize faculty salaries at the table.

We have not set any bargaining dates for the summer, but we have told the administration that we will be available to listen to any new proposals they might have. We will keep you informed as events unfold.

Matthew Roelofs, Chair, Bargaining Team

A.Ricardo López-Pedreros, President, UFWW

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