CalArts and CU-UAW met April 29, 2026, for its second session of bargaining with the staff unit.
CU-UAW exchanged a counter article to Nondiscrimination in Employment and the parties engaged in a brief discussion, but further conversations will be reserved for future consolidated bargaining sessions. They also exchanged counters to Performance Reviews and Discipline and Dismissal.
CalArts offered counterproposals to several articles including:
(1) Copy of Job Descriptions, Temporary Assignments for Substantial Additional Responsibilities, and Request for Reclassification. This article establishes best practices for maintaining accurate job descriptions, accounting for additional workloads, and a process for reclassification requests.
(2) Scheduling and Other Work Arrangements. This article proposes a process for setting and changing work schedules, plus a consistent approach to clarifying work modalities. A work modality defines whether the position is fully on-site, hybrid, or fully remote.
(3) Workspace and Materials. The goal in this article is to ensure employees have the materials necessary to perform their work in their appropriate modality.
(4) Probation. The parties engaged in further conversation about an appropriate timeframe for a probationary period with the goal of ensuring ample time is allowed to evaluate an employee’s performance.
(5) Performance Reviews. Further clarifying language was presented on best practices for conducting performance reviews.
CalArts and CU-UAW also discussed additional topics, including definitions related to union representation in grievance processes and the relationship between Staff Handbook provisions and collective bargaining agreement language. Both sides acknowledged progress across multiple articles and identified areas where they are nearing agreement, while noting that several topics will be revisited in future sessions, including consolidated discussions and economic proposals.