Layoffs at MSU: the best of times and the worst of times...

Though continuing MSU layoffs (through Spring 2011 and possibly beyond!) are likely in this economic climate, a strong UNTF can advocate for its members regarding layoff decisions and provisions, and work to avoid situations where somebody is laid off only to be eventually replaced with cheaper labor. A strong UNTF can also push so that our members don't bear the brunt of these budget cuts and layoffs (whereas with no union, the pattern will continue of administrators giving themselves raises while cutting budgets and laying off staff, as was documented in a recent Lansing State Journal article.

Layoff provisions will be part of the contract we are currently negotiating, and will surely be a top priority and contested item. The contract should be in place in time to affect layoffs in Fall 2010 and afterwards. So it is vital that we secure good layoff terms in our first contract given that this issue is very real. For example, widespread in many faculty contracts is "layoff status" which in part determines if and how laid off workers will have "first dibs" should the employer once again require somebody to do the work they were doing. For example, if you are laid off because the course you are teaching is cancelled, you would want your contract to specify that you have certain rights if that course (or a similar one) is offered a semester or year later. How favorable this and other UNTF contract items end up depends a lot on the MSU Administration's perceptions of UNTF member support. We know we have a strong group of supporters but the Administration doesn't know this and so must see signs of this. Therefore, your support in upcoming UNTF events (which includes showing up as a guest observer at one of our bargaining sessions) is ESSENTIAL to visibly show the Administration we are a strong union.

Signs are not good, with Michigan facing a serious budget deficit next year. The MSU administration clearly anticipates layoffs, and without a strong contract and union, non-tenure track folks at MSU are particularly vulnerable. You may be aware the Administration has recently asked unit heads to prepare budget scenarios for next year that respond to 3 levels of budget cuts. Another round of program (and maybe even department) cuts is inevitable. All of this comes only a few weeks after Academic Human Resources and Human Resources presented a LEAD workshop in early February, "Being Prepared: What Administrators Need to Know in the Event of Personnel Reductions". Documents were distributed with detailed instructions for layoffs and position elimination for both faculty and academic staff positions, and for support staff positions ("Layoff Summary Chart and Process"; "Elimination of faculty academic staff 2010"; "Involuntary Reduction in Percent Employed").

This is truly the best of times and worst of times to be negotiating a faculty union contract at MSU!