On July 29, CalArts and CU-UAW met for a second time to discuss workforce reductions. Following an initial discussion of these topics on July 22, the Institute received a request for information (RFI) comprising four questions with many subparts on July 28. CalArts responded to the questions it could immediately answer in the next day’s meeting, and provided responses to all of the new questions within three business days (today, July 31).
CalArts also proposed six additional bargaining dates through Aug. 8, offering to meet as many times as necessary to reach agreement on the terms of the workforce reductions by that date. CU-UAW initially responded with confirmation of a single date, Aug. 6, and confirmed an additional session for Aug. 4 after receiving CalArts’ July 31 responses to the RFIs.
In a July 15 letter to the union, further detailed in its RFI responses on July 17 and 21, CalArts proposed criteria for selecting staff positions to be eliminated, as well as for severance packages for represented staff. CalArts has invited the union to offer alternative criteria for consideration, but has not yet received any counterproposals.
The Institute seeks to reach agreement with the union by Aug. 8 on both the proposed staff reductions and a voluntary, phased reduction in teaching for eligible regular and technical faculty. This will allow adequate time for communicating with those impacted by mid-August, as outlined in an email to all faculty and staff (Hub login required), and in CalArts’ letter to CU-UAW, on July 15.
CalArts is hopeful that more forward progress can be made at the upcoming bargaining sessions.
Also on July 29, CalArts and CU-UAW held their first session to prepare for bargaining the first contracts for the Staff, Regular and Technical Faculty, and Special Faculty bargaining units. The meeting was productive, with the union providing counters to the Institute’s proposed “ground rules” aimed at ensuring that the negotiations are fair, respectful, and collaborative, while also organized and conducted in good faith. The parties aim to set two additional sessions in mid-to-late August in hopes of finalizing the structure/ground rules so substantive negotiations can begin.
In the meantime, the Institute is considering the union’s request for “consolidated” bargaining—i.e., bargaining for all three units together on certain matters. CalArts is flexible and open to the potential for consolidated bargaining where appropriate, such as on subjects that are relevant to and common across all three units (such as healthcare benefits). The parties agreed to exchange proposals on subjects appropriate for consolidated bargaining. CalArts looks forward to continuing these discussions, and does not expect them to delay the commencement of negotiations for the contracts overall.