UFF-FSU Bargaining Update August 21, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

We have good news to report from last week (August 21)’s bargaining session. After many weeks of negotiations, the UFF and Board of Trustees teams have tentatively agreed to language on Articles 17 (Leaves) and 18 (Inventions and Works). 

Article 18 (Inventions and Works)

We finally arrived at a definition of “Scope of Employment” and on language that covers disputes of intellectual property ownership. Both faculty and the administration agreed that this new language was fair and clear. It was also vetted by our union’s lawyers at FEA.

Scope of Employment refers to the range of duties, responsibilities, and activities reasonably expected as part of a faculty member’s university employment relationship including the faculty member’s FSU research expertise. This includes any invention of a faculty member conceived or first actually reduced to practice in the performance of work under a funding agreement or University auspices in conformance with 37 CFR 401.2 (d).

18.5 Faculty Appeals. Faculty members who question whether rights in a specific invention(s) or work(s) must be assigned to the University shall request in writing a determination to Commercialization. Commercialization shall promptly consider such request and shall make the determination within a reasonable time. Commercialization will present the determination, including its findings and grounds for decision, to the faculty member and provide an opportunity for a response. In the event that the faculty member disputes the final determination by Commercialization, the faculty member may request in writing a reconsideration to the Vice President of Research. If the faculty member disagrees with the finding of the Vice President of Research with regards to scope of employment, the faculty member may request for a review by a faculty committee. The committee shall have at least three faculty members, agreed to jointly by the University and the UFF-FSU. The committee will make a non-binding recommendation to the President or designee. If the faculty member disagrees with the final finding of the President or designee, the faculty member may also pursue a grievance on any part of this article as defined under Article 20, Grievances, or any other action available at law to enforce their rights to copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, or other rights. The parties agree that the ownership interest of an invention and work is not a personnel matter within the meaning of Section 1001.741, Florida Statutes, and therefore may proceed to arbitration or otherwise be appealed to other forums.

Article 17 (Leaves)

The really big news for us is that, after years of trying to expand FSU’s one-child paid parental leave policy (a leave that we only secured in the first place through collective bargaining), we have finally agreed on a greatly improved policy that is more flexible, generous, and humane. Our new language specifies that:

• New parents will be allowed to take two paid parental leaves over the course of their employment at FSU, not one.
• Leaves will be substantially longer than the eight weeks the administration initially proposed. 
• The length of the leaves will be flexible. We landed on a full six months total for parental leaves, divisible into two leaves, however it suits each faculty member.
• There will be no waiting period between leaves. (The administration wanted faculty to wait two years between the end of one leave and the next “qualifying event.”)
• Faculty who took a paid parental leave of less than six months under the existing contract will be able to take the remainder of their six-month leave under the new contract, should they become parents again. 
• For faculty couples, both parents will be able to take a leave for the same child (birth or adoption).

We are very proud of this accomplishment. We have been trying for at least ten years to get the administration to understand the advantages to the university of expanding their one-child policy. Even as we were finalizing this language, we heard palpable frustration from the administration’s team, complaining about the number of concessions that they made to faculty. Please remember this when the President sends out his annual letter to all faculty members following contract ratification that crows about all the wonderful things they have done for us. Again, it took many years of work to get the administration to move on this issue, and it absolutely would not have happened without our union and our right to collective bargaining! It’s not administrative magnanimity; it’s dogged faculty determination that improves our conditions. If you value the ability to take parental leaves, and if you value enhanced protections of your intellectual property, you should be a union member. Join now and help us protect your interests!

Article 23 (Salaries)

Finally, we went back and forth with salary proposals four times last Thursday and we are making some progress. The administration gradually went from 1.8% to 2.0% total in departmental merit and across-the-board raises combined. We are still trying for more but, because we know that the administration didn’t get a lot of recurring money (money that can be used for real raises), we are also now trying to secure some bonus money for all faculty. We generally dislike bonuses (because they don’t improve our base salaries), but if they’ve got some non-recurring funds they need to spend, we’ll take some. Don’t get too excited: the BOT’s first bonus offer was for only 0.25%—that’s less than $200 for many faculty members. We think that they can find more than that under the couch cushions in Westcott. Here is the inning-by-inning box score of what transpired with changes since the previous offer highlighted:

Thank you again for your supportive messages, for attending bargaining, and most of all for joining UFF-FSU. Our increased membership size may well be one factor in why we are able to report this week’s successes. Please continue to let your new (and old) colleagues know that union dues are a great investment in all of our futures. 

Again, we’re back at the bargaining table today—Wednesday, August 27—from 3:00–5:00 at the Training Center across from the Stadium (accessible from Stadium Drive and Jackson Bluff). Also, we hope to see you at The Bark on Friday at 5:00. There will be live music, food, drink, and camaraderie! (Check your mail for an invitation.)

In solidarity,

Michael Buchler, on behalf of your UFF-FSU Collective Bargaining Team

Professor of Music Theory

Florida State University College of Music