Faculty union in mediation with University of Alaska following negotiation deadlock

The University of Alaska and the union representing faculty, United Academics — also known as UNAC — entered into federal mediation in January after the university and the union agreed they were deadlocked at the end of last year. 

The university and the union tentatively agreed to 17 articles, but five remain unresolved, according to an announcement from the University of Alaska. Top issues to be resolved are compensation increases and health care benefits. 

The last day of federal mediation is taking place today, Jan. 28, in Fairbanks.

Negotiations began last August for a new collective bargaining agreement. The previous agreement expired in December; though, the university and the union agreed to keep operating under its terms until a new deal is struck. 

The deadline to submit proposed changes in compensation to the state legislature is March 21. 

Classes will not be disrupted this spring while the parties continue negotiations into the new year, according to the university. 

There appears to be a wide discrepancy in the estimates put out by the university and the union regarding the cost of compensation increases. 

‍According to a letter from University of Alaska President Pat Pitney, the proposal given by UNAC before entering into mediation will cost the university an additional $113 million over the life of the new three-year contract, compared to the $73 million proposal by the university.  

Jill Dumesnil is the president of UNAC and the lead negotiator. In an interview with The Northern Light, she said that amount, as described by the university, is “disingenuous.”

She said the proposal for increases by the union comes closer to $20 million but that the university is projecting the cost of increases to all university employees, not just members of the faculty union. 

She said the university agreed to me-too clauses with other unions representing university employees to match compensation increases agreed to with any other union.

Jonathon Taylor is a spokesperson for the University of Alaska. Talking with The Northern Light, he said the unions decided among themselves to add the me-too clauses to their agreements with the university. 

Taylor said the university has to take into account the total cost of the increase, and not just how it impacts one union when making a decision whether to accept the terms of a new agreement.

In a follow up email, Taylor wrote that “while most UA staff are not unionized, UA has historically given our non-represented staff the same increases we give to bargaining units to help maintain equity.”

Before going into federal mediation, the latest proposal from the university to United Academics will increase compensation 2.75%, 3% and 3% over the next three years.

‍According to a newsletter from United Academics recapping a bargaining session in November, the union’s last published proposal was 4%, 4.5% and 5%. 

This is down from the initial 5% increase for each year the union was initially requesting.

Mediation takes place behind closed doors and is confidential, so neither Taylor nor Dumesnil could comment on where the parties currently stand for compensation increases. 

But the other sticking point, health care benefits, might wipe out increases to compensation, said Dumesnil. 

‍According to an article from Alaska Public Media, increases to health care costs in Alaska over the past few years have been higher than in many other places in the U.S.

According to the university, “The Board and university leaders are concerned about the sustainability of proposed compensation increases due to rising health care costs. Those increased costs have resulted in challenging circumstances for school districts and municipalities around the state already this year.”  

The university is proposing a change in how increases to health care costs are split between union members and the university. 

Taylor said the university proposed a change that would see new increases to health care costs split 50/50 between the university and union members. Existing costs would still be split 82% and 18% by the university and individuals, respectively. But if, for example, the cost of a premium increased by $1, the additional dollar would be split equally.

Dumesnil said the university already has the power to shift at will how some health care costs are shared between the university and the union. She said the “healthcare changes could wipe out small raises.”

Another issue related to health care is the makeup of the Joint Health Care Committee. She said the university is proposing adding more non-union members. 

‍According to the University of Alaska, “The Joint Health Care Committee (JHCC) is an advising body that discusses proposed changes to the UA Choice health plans - including cost and plan design.”

Dumesnil said by adding more non-union members, it would eliminate the union majority. 

Dumesnil said she was a part of the negotiations three years ago when the current agreement between the union and the university was formed. 

She said that during that time, the university said it was in a less financially stable situation and that recently the university has said the financial position has improved. 

But the university has said the state does not have an appetite for additional spending at the moment. 

“Negotiations are taking place in an atmosphere of restrained state spending, even as fixed costs - healthcare, utilities, and cybersecurity, among others - continue to rise.”

Taylor said the university is optimistic that they can come to an agreement with the union before the deadline of when the proposal needs to be submitted to the legislature. 

For updates, you can visit United Academics’ website or read the university’s negotiation communications.