Week of March 24th Update
Overall, there were many positive moves at the table this week, including a comprehensive counter-proposal from management that moves in the right direction on vacation time, sick days, and health benefits.
However, management would not agree to standalone tentative agreements for these parts of the package, nor have they moved close enough to us on wages. Management still maintains paltry across the board increases of just 1% annually. That’s not enough to keep up with the cost of living, nor is it enough to cover our union dues at 1.74%. Your bargaining team is committed to securing meaningful wage increases for all our members, but it will take all of us to demonstrate our collective power.
Now is the time to show management where you stand. Please turn out to our Art Action from 12-1 PM in front of the Academy on Friday, April 4 to say loudly and clearly that we all deserve a fair contract and to be paid what we are worth. More details and RSVP here.
Below are the hyperlinks to the various counters, TAs, as well as management’s comprehensive package:
CAWU Counters:
We also verbally resubmitted Governance and Financial Transparency. They immediately verbally rejected it.
Management Counters: (The comprehensive package has been segmented out to the corresponding folders.)
The end of their comprehensive proposal included: All previously agreed upon TAs and All other proposals are to be withdrawn.
Tentative Agreements from the entire week include
Week of March 10th Update
CAWU Bargaining Team Countered On:
We received no counters from management.
Your bargaining team and management are discussing bargaining dates for April.
The next bargaining date is Thursday, March 20th.
General Reminders!
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 Staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org 415-717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions
Week of March 6th Update
CAWU and Management reached the following 3 Tentative Agreements:
Scheduling and Hours of Work: after a revision on their end regarding upholding current practices, we reached a TA
Management Countered On:
CAWU Bargaining Team Countered On:
The next bargaining date is Monday, March 10th.
General Reminders!
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 Staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org 415-717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions
Week of February 27th Update
Management provided another financial update presentation as a precursor to their wages counter. They claim that because of the percentage rate hikes for health benefits and reduced ticket revenue, they need to lower wages expectations.
BT Countered on:
Statement on budget and transparency
We once again requested the line-item budget for each division, department, cost center, budget code, service line, etc. the Academy tracks expenditure and revenue for the 25-26 fiscal year. While we have requested this multiple times, the biggest takeaway from their failure to provide this information is they don’t care about our opinion on budget priorities.
We don't need to see their secret budget docs. We can see their public 990s that confirm that if CAS can pay Scott and SLT high salaries, they can afford to give everyone a living wage. Scott’s salary for a single year would cover a 3% raise for the entire bargaining unit.
Thanks again to everyone who signed the petition and/or attended last week's action. Calling all artists! Join us at the next CAT meeting on Wednesday, March 5 at 12pm and help us with a creative action.
The next bargaining date is Thursday, March 6th.
General Reminders!
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 Staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org 415-717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions
Bargaining update: 2/17
On Wednesday our members delivered a petition signed by 70% of our bargaining unit to Scott Sampson and the CAS Board of Directors during their board meeting in support of our top priorities for the first contract:
Fair, regular pay increases for all employees based on longevity. Also, to raise the minimum pay for the lowest paid employees.
Meaningful protections from future layoffs. Severance pay, if layoffs are unavoidable.
Clear pathways to promotion and fair hiring practices.
Transparency and accountability in financial and governance decisions.
Supporting the DEIA goals of the Academy by ensuring gender neutral bathrooms with menstrual supplies, pronoun pins for workers, and education for staff on the racist legacies of the Academy and science museums generally.
Executive Director Scott Sampson hid from his own employees instead of accepting the petition.
While we have made a lot of progress on our first contract, the Academy management has continued to refuse fair increases to pay.
Management has said they can’t afford bigger raises. According to publicly-available 990 tax filings through 2023, here’s what we know:
The Academy historically ran operating modest deficits every year and covered those deficits from other sources—fundraising, endowment, investments, etc. After we unionized, the Board suddenly decided that they had to have a balanced budget and started with layoffs and cuts.
One third of our members earn below $25/hour. The median annual pay for our members is $48,374—not enough to survive in the Bay Area.
If the Academy has financial problems, it’s not because we get paid too much, and the solution won’t come from the lowest paid people. As a share of total personnel costs, the Academy spends 42% more than similar institutions like the Exploratorium or the Monterey Bay Aquarium on executive compensation.
The Academy annual expenses are in the range of $80-100 million. In comparison, a 1% pay increase for our entire bargaining unit is about $164,954. This is a drop in the bucket of the overall cost of the institutions.
While our members work multiple jobs and struggle to survive, Scott Sampson’s pay has increased by 21% IN ONE YEAR to $629,458. Sampson’s salary BY ITSELF would pay for a raise of over 3% for our ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP.
Their proposal would mean that most of our bargaining unit would see raises of about 7.5% until 2028. Not 7.5% per year. Just 7.5%. That doesn’t keep up with the cost of living let alone reduce inequality. The Academy has hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, endowments, and other funds. They’ve just decided to prioritize paying senior leadership and fund managers instead of the workers who actually make the institution the amazing place it is. Our great petition delivery on Wednesday sent them a message that we will do what it takes and we will keep turning up the heat until we achieve a fair contract.
If you want to chat more about the action or get more bargaining updates please join us Tuesday the 25th at 12pm in the Moss Room for our all unit lunch.
And now week of Feb 17th, 2025 Bargaining Update
Tuesday Session:
CAWU countered
No Strike No Lockout: Lessened their harsh language
Compensation: We added back in our pay structure
MGMT counter
Probationary Period: a few number edits
No Strike No Lockout: a sentence addition
Thursday Session: It should be noted, the action on Wednesday was not mentioned at all.
MGMT counters
Scheduling and Hours of Work:They are trying to preserve a status quo situation
Sick Leave: They opted to revert to the handbook language
Vacation Leave: They opted to revert to the handbook language
Recognition Amendment: changed some designation in section 3
After Caucus
TA on Recognition
CAWU counter on scheduling and hours of work
Bargaining update: 2/10
Here's what happened at the table this week:
Monday Session
CAWU cleared up a few errors and discussed some counters:
Probation Period: we had countered on a older version on accident
Mini-Package: Clarified management’s question on one of our intentional strike outs
Management asked the Bargaining Team to specify what we were trying to solve in the Hours of Work article, as management voiced they were curious. A lot of our suggestions are rooted in staffing levels and finding ways to alleviate team stress. You can review it here
Management presented counters:
Health and Safety: Major victory on refusing to work in a hazardous work conditions
Holidays: Largely status quo from the handbook, no real gains in their counter
After discussion, we agreed to TA on Health and Safety
We were also able to present a counter on Layoffs
Thursday session
We agreed to TA on Layoffs
Management presented 2 counters
Mini-Package: A few edits to Management Rights in particular
Management requested to implement the Health and Safety article right away, but SEIU legal council advised to reject this based on the fact that there was no ratification proposal
After another caucus,
We countered the Mini-Package: slight wording adjustments
We agreed to TA on Leaves of Absence
Back in bargaining, management countered on:
After caucus,
We agreed to TA on the mini-package
We reached 5 TA’s in one day, which is a good signal of progress.
The next bargaining date is Thursday, February 18th.
Bargaining update: 2/6
Here's what happened at the table on Thursday, February 6th.
Bargaining Team presented counters on:
Management presented a counter on Recognition
Bargaining Team presented counter on:
The next bargaining dates are Monday, February 10th and Thursday, February 13th.
General Reminders!
If you haven’t already, please sign the Fair Contract Now petition!
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 Staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org 415-717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions
Bargaining update: 1/30
Hello CAWU Comrades! Here's what happened at the bargaining table on January 30th.
Management presented counters on:
New Management Proposal: Grant and Restricted Fund Positions
Bargaining Team presented a counter combining our Union Security and Management Rights proposal combined with their Zipper Clause proposal
Your Bargaining Team and Management signed 3 Tentative Agreements:
Term of the Agreement: The contract will last from the date of union ratification of the contract through April 30, 2028. It is typical for union contracts to last 3-5 years. Your Bargaining Team also chose this date to align with the May 1, 2028 general strike that Shawn Fain, the United Auto Workers President, has called for. You can read more about the general strike here.
Educational Benefits: The Academy will create a fund of $10,000 each fiscal year for educational purposes, and individual members can apply for a maximum of $500 for reimbursement of costs related to job-related professional development and certifications.
Uniforms: The Academy will provide and replace uniforms for employees that are required to wear them and will preserve an existing reimbursement program for the biologists. Employees whose jobs routinely damage their clothes will be able to request uniforms or protective gear/clothing.
General Reminders!
If you haven’t already, please sign the Fair Contract Now petition!
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 Staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org 415-717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions.
Bargaining update: 1/21
We want to start by saying that we know this week has been a significantly tough one with a certain inauguration and we won’t mince words: the coming months and years will be challenging. We unequivocally stand with our queer, trans, gender non-conforming, and immigrant comrades, as well as anyone directly impacted by the heinous flurry of executive orders set forth into action this week.
It has never been more important for us to recognize and channel our collective power, something we will need to do not only for the sake of our contract, but beyond the walls of the Academy as well. We encourage you to reach out to each other and find support in the CAWU community. A few easy ways you can do this is by signing the Fair Contract petition and attending the all-unit lunch on Tuesday, January 28 at 12pm in the Moss Room!
If people are concerned about immigration rights, here’s a helpful resource
San Francisco Immigrant Legal and Education Network
https://sfilen.org/publication/
January 21
Your Bargaining Team countered on:
Layoffs: Our counter for severance pay was 1 month per year of service, up to 6 months. Management’s counter for severance pay was 1 week per year of service, up to 12 weeks. We will continue to negotiate.
Probation: We proposed a 90 day probationary period instead of the 120 days management proposed.
Educational Benefits: We clarified if people would need to use PTO to take advantage of this program, or if they would be paid as if they were working
We restated our priority of recognizing basic protections for all people in our contract in light of the new federal government that rejects our own identities and humanness. Instead of affirming their staff’s fundamental rights to exist and provide protections, management immediately pivoted the discussion to management rights, which once again showed us that their intent is to use our rights as a bargaining chip to negotiate their Management Rights proposal. This resulted in an impassioned exchange wherein we expressed to them the dangers that we face. Management knew that their position would be offensive to our membership.
Upon returning to the table, management changed their minds and resubmitted the No Discrimination proposal uncoupled from the package
When we stick together we win!
Signed TA on No Discrimination (1/21/2025)
January 23
We countered on Management Rights
Management gave us their counter
Remember, success in negotiation depends on your support and engagement!
Be on the lookout for colleagues with our Fair Contract Now petition!
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 Staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org 415-717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions
Bargaining update: 1/6
Your Bargaining Team and management reached tentative agreements on Retirement and Decolonial Education. However, management continues to hold at a 3.5% raise over multiple years for the bargaining unit.
This is unacceptable to the Bargaining Team. What are you willing to do to get management to invest in those of us who make the museum run?
If you haven’t yet, sign the Fair Contract Now Petition! Find a member of the CAT team or the Bargaining Team to sign, or email bargain@calacademyworkersunited.org to schedule a time to sign
Get ready to take further action
Look at the article tracker to read about other movement at the table with counters
We reached a tentative agreement on Decolonial Education. We are likely the only union in the country with this language in a contract!
We reached a tentative agreement on Retirement that locks in what we have currently
The next bargaining date is Tuesday, January 21st.
Bargaining update: 12/19
On the first anniversary of bargaining, management finally presented an initial counter offer to our economic proposals, which we introduced in August. Now it’s up to all union members to organize the power needed to win a contract that improves on management’s terms.
The Compensation counter offer from management
Management is trying to solve the Academy’s financial issues on the backs of workers – their counter offer does not keep up with the cost of living in the Bay Area, much less pay us what we’re worth. Furthermore, your Bargaining Team does not believe that management’s proposal reflects what the Academy can actually afford.
However, your Bargaining Team is encouraged by management’s willingness to counter some of our proposals rather than reject them outright. This includes proposals for:
A transparent and uniform scale of salary steps and grades. This will abolish current opaque and arbitrary compensation practices
A minimum $25/hour wage
Bilingual pay
The current grades and steps under discussion are based only on current hourly
rates, and nothing more. While this scale will prevent management from arbitrarily paying different wages to people doing the same or similar work in the future, it won’t–on its own–do anything to correct for past disparities. In caucus, your elected bargaining team–along with extended team members–discussed the complex task of creating a more just wage structure that addresses past disparities.
The Health Benefits counter offer from management
Management's proposal is largely reflective of the current cost-sharing benefit plan.
Management told your Bargaining Team that “renewals [from insurance companies] being presented often reflect double digit increases… this additional quarter of a million would be a big hit.”
In perspective, the Academy’s overall budget (FY 24 audited financial statement page 5) was $112 million last year. From 2012 to 2022, the average member of Senior Leadership made $315,000 per year, significantly more than the $250,000 they are claiming is a “big hit.”
Management’s Retirement Proposal (at the end of Health and Benefits proposal)
Management proposed keeping the status quo, but introduced a trigger to pause matching retirement contributions if management declares that its operating margin is 10% below budget.
Update on Youth Action for the Planet
Management’s treatment of our colleague Aleks Liou and their student cohort, as reported by Mission Local, continues to be a PR “challenge” for the institution. On December 16th, the San Francisco Youth Commission, which is responsible for advising the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor on policies and laws related to young people, filed an official motion condemning Academy leadership’s targeted retaliation against youth climate activists.
Build Power
Sign the Fair Contract Now petition and participate in events!
Additional CAWU members were able to join the Bargaining Team this session - if you are passionate about a specific proposal reach out to the Bargaining Team via email or in person, and we’d love to include you in that session if possible. Your participation will strengthen our bargaining power!
Remember, success in negotiation depends on your support and engagement!
Be on the lookout for colleagues with our Fair Contract Now petition
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org (415) 717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions.
Bargaining update & invitation: 12/12
🍕 Reminder: All-unit meeting tomorrow! 🍕
Join your colleagues on Tuesday, December 17th 12:00-1:00PM in the Moss Room for lunch and updates.
Invitation to Bargaining Next Week!
Management stated their intent to deliver a comprehensive economic proposal at the next bargaining session
This is an open invitation to be a member of the Bargaining Team for the Thursday, December 19th bargaining session. Bargaining will be from 9am-1pm in L2E-Large and on Zoom. You don’t need to attend the whole session. If you would like to attend, the bargaining team will work with you to accommodate your schedule.
Please note, this will be on your personal time. Ensure you are on a break, lunch break, or not working
Please let the Bargaining Team know how much of the session you can join for by emailing us at bargain@calacademyworkersunited.org by 12pm Wednesday, December 18th
Your Bargaining Team voted to withdraw the Parking Proposal
This did not come up as a priority for bargaining unit members in the initial survey. This lets us focus on members’ bigger financial priorities
We discussed with management the costs that staff incur complying with dress codes and uniform policies
Both sides clarified the existing policy and your Bargaining Team is continuing to negotiate on this issue
Thanks to all who have shared their thoughts on this issue, and if you have any ideas on this topic, reach out to the Bargaining Team
We discussed with management that changes in the National Labor Relations Board (which is in charge of enforcing labor law) in the next presidential administration will likely weaken the power of unions to enforce their contracts in arbitration
Your Bargaining Team presented a counter to Layoffs
Added back in severance and health care coverage with set amounts
Your Bargaining Team initially proposed the Term of Agreement
We chose to have the contract expire on April 30, 2028 because Shawn Fain, the United Auto Workers President, has called for a general strike on May 1, 2028. You can read more about this here and here
One of the focuses is on climate change which is important to the Academy’s mission
There is ample time to prepare since the strike is planned for three years from now
Additionally, it is fairly standard for union contracts to have a lifespan of 3-5 years
Scheduling
Management proposed meeting twice a week starting in the new year. This is a good sign as it means they want to hurry up and finish, as do we!
Your Bargaining Team suggested Wednesdays and Thursdays
Bargaining update: 12/5
Leaves of Absence and Decolonial Education
We continue to approach tentative agreements on both issues. Your Bargaining Team responded to management’s counters on these proposals.
Zipper Clause
This article, presented by management, would limit our power to interpret and enforce our contract. Your Bargaining Team respectfully verbally declined this clause.
AI / Machine Learning
Management verbally declined CAWU’s recent AI proposal, stating that since the future use of AI is unknown they do not want a “blanket ban.” Their proposal is to keep their October counter found here.
Our proposal was not a blanket ban. It proposed limits on how AI would be used. Our Bargaining Team had hoped that the discussion on AI would be about where and how limits or boundaries could be established and negotiated over time: management’s counter proposal is deficient because it refuses to negotiate any agreement about limits at all with our union. Management's proposal is to retain as much unilateral control as law enforcement will allow. The commitment to talk about how AI use aligns with the Academy’s mission in the Joint Labor Management Committee is nice, but gives us no decision making power at all.
While there may be a few areas where the use of AI is useful, we value the work of Academy scientists, educators and artists, and believe that the environmental impact of AI is antithetical to the Academy’s mission.
Have thoughts about AI use in the workplace? Reach out to the Bargaining Team! bargain@calacademyworkersunited.org Attend our all-unit meeting on Tuesday, December 17th at 12pm in the Moss Room to share your ideas.
Health and Safety
During caucus, your Bargaining Team worked on the Health and Safety Proposal and it will be ready to introduce by the end of December.
Finance Presentation
Jim Gohary, the Academy’s CFO, gave a presentation on management’s costing process for our economic proposals. This is the beginning of talks about wages and benefits. Management estimates a comprehensive economic response in 2 weeks, at our Dec. 19th bargaining session.
🐝 The Organizing Corner 🐝
Board meeting report
On November 21, over 40 of your colleagues and community supporters showed up at the semi-annual public Academy Board of Trustees virtual meeting. Our union insignia were very visible as we made up about 40% of those in attendance. We filled the comment time with questions and comments about management’s top-heavy administration and the effect of this year’s program cuts. We also informed the board of management’s repeated rejection of non-discrimination, transparency, and shared decision making proposals; actions that fly in the face of management's publicly professed value of collaboration.
YAP debacle
Many members of the public have reached out to us after reading about the sudden termination of the Youth Action for the Planet program published by Mission Local on November 21 (since updated with an official response by Academy management). We are working collaboratively on a detailed statement and will share it with you shortly. In the meantime, we have been directing folks who want to express their disappointment to message SLT using the email tool on our website. You can share the link with your networks!
All-unit meeting
Join your colleagues on December 17th 12:00-1:00PM in the Moss Room.
Remember: Success in negotiation depends on your support and engagement!
Be on the lookout for colleagues with our Fair Contract Now petition
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Your 1021 Staff field representative is Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org 415-717-8135. Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions.
Bargaining update: 10/31
Reminder
We have a new Field Representative, Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is: Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org
(415) 717-8135
Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions.
New Director of Labor and Employee Relations
Our Bargaining Team was joined by Saba Kraja, the Academy’s new Director of Labor and Employee Relations.
Management’s original negotiator, Gina Roccanova, returned and our Bargaining Team had productive discussions with management over the course of the session.
Benefits Presentation
We were given a repeat benefits presentation from Liliana Salazar, a representative from HUB International (our benefits broker) regarding benefit plans for the FY 24-25 year. She was flown up from Southern California to present to us again today.
During this time, we were joined by members of CAT and the bargaining unit to observe the presentation together. If you’re interested in observing a bargaining session, please reach out to the Bargaining Team or Contract Action Team.
Our Bargaining Team was able to ask questions, but did not receive a counter to our Benefits proposal. Management is countering all non-economic proposals before bargaining over economic proposals.
Movement at the Table
Our Bargaining Team and management had further discussion over seniority and layoffs. Both sides came to a Tentative Agreement on Seniority. Scan of official TA to come.
Counter to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Management countered Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. They added language about discussing these topics in the Joint Labor Management Committee. Additionally, they added language about management being able to retain the right to place limits on the use of intellectual property in connection with AI technology. Our bargaining team will work on a counter proposal.
Counter to Decolonial Education
Management countered our proposal by striking out the stipulation that in-unit staff be provided one day off per quarter with pay to participate in educational events on these topics and to provide paid time equivalent to 10% of full time employment for up to four bargaining unit employees designated by CAWU to plan and develop such educational events for the bargaining unit. We will continue to negotiate how to address the legacies of white supremacy and colonialism, both at the bargaining table and within the Joint Labor Management Committee.
Counter to Remote Work
Management countered our remote work proposal and altered the language to state that employees may request hybrid work schedules but removed our wording stating that these requests will not be unreasonably denied. The counter also states that current hybrid and remote work schedules will not be altered without discussion by the Labor-Management Committee and any changes will not go into effect without two week’s advance notice.
Counter to Layoffs
Managements’ counter includes removing sections providing for severance and health benefits during layoff, rejecting our proposal to not propose or implement any layoffs unless the Executive Director and Senior Leadership have taken at least 20% cuts in pay, reducing the notice period from 60 days to 30 days, changing seniority date from date of hire at the Academy to start date of current job title, and reducing the recall period from 24 to 12 months.
Personnel Issues
Discussion continued over the one remaining involuntary layoff and another personnel issue, and we are waiting for management’s responses.
Remember…
Success in negotiation depends on your support and engagement!
Be on the lookout for colleagues with our Fair Contract Now petition
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
VOTE TODAY (if you haven’t already)
Bargaining updates: 10/24
We have a new Field Representative, Jessica Inouye. Her contact info is:
Jessica.Inouye@seiu1021.org
(415) 717-8135
Please reach out to Jessica if you have questions or concerns about your working conditions.
Unfair Labor Practice Filed
On October 23rd, the day before the last bargaining session, SEIU 1021’s attorneys filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) against management on the basis of not responding to our proposals in a timely manner.
On management's side, a new attorney, Melissa Kelm, from Jackson Lewis – the notorious union busting law firm management employs – has brought a more aggressive and hostile attitude to the table. Our Bargaining Team’s questions have been met with much more contention.
Read more about Jackson Lewis in a 2019 essay by an historian at the University of New Mexico. You can also read about the firm in their own words, where they tout their book, Winning NLRB Elections. (Expand the section on "Additional Services Provided to Non-Union Employers" to find the citation.)
In bargaining, the day after the ULP was filed, there was movement at the table on the following articles:
Discipline and Discharge
Management provided a counter on Discipline and Discharge, and we reached a TA. This article establishes just cause and allows us to assert our rights without fear of retaliation. Additionally, this article states that management will provide non-disciplinary coaching, counseling, and/or feedback before initiating formal discipline. Scan of official TA to come.
Vending Machine
Your bargaining team and management reached a tentative agreement on the purchasing and maintenance of the vending machine. Scan of official TA to come.
Seniority
Management provided a counter to the article on Seniority. Your bargaining team countered with a proposal that incorporates language from the recall and layoffs article. Management asked some questions and we are waiting for a counter from them.
Remote Work
Management provided a counter to our Remote Work policy. During our caucus, we wrote a counter and provided it to management. We are waiting for a counter from them. We had to provide specific examples of how remote work is currently approved and implemented by various departments, as management did not understand current practices.
Leaves of Absence
Management provided a counter on our Leaves of Absence article. In caucus, we discussed their counter, and will work on writing a response.
Despite this sudden progress, management is still pushing hard to limit your ability to have a say in what your working conditions are like.
Management again asked if our Bargaining Team would agree to tie the Union Security and No Discrimination articles to the Management Rights article, which seeks to secure management’s maximum unilateral authority over our working conditions. Our Bargaining Team declined to do this, but is willing to reach Tentative Agreements on Union Representation and No Discrimination individually.
Our Bargaining Team wants to bargain over management rights after the rest of the contract has been tentatively agreed to, which is a common practice.
Remember…
Success in negotiation depends on your support and engagement!
Be on the lookout for colleagues with our Fair Contract Now petition
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Bargaining updates: 10/21
Reminder about our monthly union lunch tomorrow, Tuesday 10/22, at 12pm in the Classroom!
Management Makes Bid to Preserve Maximum Unilateral Power
Management provided a “mini-package” of counters, which included Article 2 Union Security, Article 3 No Discrimination, and Management Rights. They want the three articles to be accepted together, and are not willing to sign any as individual Tentative Agreements. They refused multiple times to elaborate on their reasoning or provide any kind of justification on why they want to group these proposals together. Management is clearly using our rights as a bargaining chip to get us to agree to their overly prescriptive Management Rights Article.
Your bargaining team rejected management’s mini-package, and we are not willing to tie Articles 2 and 3 to the Management Rights article.
Management said that they will not be responding to our Governance and Financial Transparency article because they don’t view it as a mandatory subject of bargaining. Nothing stops management from agreeing to put things into the contract that are outside mandatory subjects of bargaining.
Selection and Hiring
Your bargaining team offered to have an open conversation at the table on Selection and Hiring rather than shuffling proposals back and forth with management, and asked again for management to provide their definition of what a promotion is. Management did not have an answer. Management said they are unsure how to begin to have a conversation with us on this topic.
Academy Management Dissolves Youth Action for the Planet
The program will not be renewed and management is working to restore the grant money that had already been awarded to the institution to fund this program.
Gender Inclusive Workplace
Management asked a clarifying question on the language about the changing room in our article Gender Inclusive Workplace.
Vending Machine
After counters from management and from our Bargaining team, we reached a tentative agreement and will sign it next week.
Finance Update
Jim Gohary, Chief Financial Officer, and Mathew Lau, Senior Director of Finance, gave your bargaining team an update on the FY24 and FY25 budgets. Reminder that they are giving a finance update to all staff tomorrow morning, 10/22 at 9:30am. We look forward to hearing if this is the same update we received in bargaining, and will send out a separate email with details after Tuesday.
Remember…
Success in negotiation depends on your support and engagement!
Be on the lookout for colleagues with our Fair Contract Now petition
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns.
Bargaining updates: October 2
On Our Union Contract
Your Bargaining Team received counters from management on Article 4 Union Representation and Article 6 Discipline and Discharge
Management introduced a new article titled Zipper Integration Clauses which is a provision that would place strict limits on how the contract is interpreted in any disputes and arbitration proceedings. It would also allow management (and our union) to unilaterally refuse to bargain over any subject until the contract expires. Bargaining could occur between contracts, but both sides would have to agree to begin negotiations.
After our first caucus, we received an additional management counter on Article 1 Recognition
We countered on Union Representation and Discipline and Discharge
After our final caucus, we were able to reach a tentative agreement on Article 4 Union Representation! Key highlights of this article include:
We won the right to have 9 shop stewards, including at least 1 Chief Shop Steward. A shop steward is a colleague–it could be you–who helps their co-workers defend their rights and interests at work.
Newly designated shop stewards will be allowed 8 hours paid release time in their first year as a steward to attend Union Shop Steward training
Up to 3 union stewards will have the right to provide new bargaining unit hires a 30 minute union orientation
Any union member elected to or selected for office or as a delegate for specific union activities necessitating a leave of absence will be able to request a leave of absence no less than 2 weeks in advance
Personnel Issues
Richie Lipton joined our session to highlight his promotion process. The purpose of this was to illustrate the importance of outlining a clear promotion process in the contract, as Richie’s experience has been a yearlong journey that ended with him receiving the wrong title, and although he received a salary increase, his new job changed him from non-exempt to exempt, which has resulted in his pay being essentially the same as it was prior to the long awaited “promotion.” If you’d like to share your experience, contact us: bargain@calacademyworkersunited.org
Negotiations continue over Aleks Liou and one proposed involuntary layoff
Labor Movement News
East coast dockworkers won a significant raise of 62% over 6 years (which comes out to an average of 8.4% a year) in a tentative agreement reached on Thursday after a 3-day strike.
Remember…
Success in negotiation depends on your support and engagement!
Be on the lookout for colleagues with our Fair Contract Now petition
Wear your union button always and CAWU shirt on Thursdays
Sign up for membership here and talk with your colleagues about why it matters
Follow the CAWU article tracker, read the proposals and counters and speak to your representative on the bargaining team or a CAT activist about your issues and concerns
Bargaining updates: September 25th
Your bargaining team received no counters proposals from management. This is the third week in a row with no counter proposals.
Management had the following questions on our economic proposals:
They questioned members’ interest in the tuition reimbursement proposal. Your bargaining team said that we do not have an exact head count of interested members. Rather, the intent of this article is to address an issue we’ve heard from many of you, which is that you want to expand your skill sets, knowledge, and expertise while continuing to work at the Academy.
Management questioned how we decided on an 8% raise. They asked: did we come up with it by comparing it to the “market rate”? What other contracts have an 8% raise?
Our response: the museum job structure historically underpays and undervalues workers, but we can be a leading institution by providing a living wage to staff working to better the environment and their communities. Management replied that “we can’t solve capitalism at this table”
We can solve capitalism one contract at a time! The graph below shows the inverse relationship between union power (measured by union membership rates) and income inequality, from the Economic Policy Institute.
Operations Department Organization
Leah Van der Mei and Tony Promessi came to discuss the future of the maintenance department. There is a need to restructure positions, and they proposed the idea of a working group on the future of the department, or to have the bargaining team negotiate on their behalf. Your bargaining team will be reaching out shortly to the affected members to discuss further.
Academy Finances
Your bargaining Team also received a presentation from Jim Gohary, the Academy’s Chief Financial Officer, on the Academy’s bond. Jue Wang, a researcher with SEIU 1021, joined us to ask questions.
Academy management created a financial investment portfolio called the “Campaign Fund” where it has set aside $267M (in the form of financial investments) for the new building. Jim said the Campaign Fund is earning a 5% fixed return, which is higher than the 3.25% interest rate the Academy currently pays on its $281.5M bond. At this rate, the Campaign Fund will accumulate enough money to repay the principle of the bond in a few years, and the Investment Committee of the Academy Board of Trustees is planning to consider repaying the principle of the bond in 3-4 years. Jim said because the campaign fund is separate from operating funds, labor costs cannot be paid by investment incomes generated in the Campaign Fund.
Youth Action for the Planet and Aleks Liou
We proposed a counter on the termination of Aleks Liou and are still in negotiations with management. More details to come.
Contract proposals
Hello Cal Academy Workers United!
Per the bargaining team's announcement yesterday, our proposals (except for Health and Safety) currently on the table for our first contract are now available for your review:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FGyOyzTplC5EpOYQ_HMp_WicJVNklu-sxABe9IiF9wY/edit?usp=sharing
In an effort to lean into transparency, we have opted to give everyone full access to these proposals along with management's counters.
Once the bargaining team and management reach Tentative Agreements on all articles (or withdraw any outstanding ones), the bargaining team will refer the whole tentative contract to CAWU members for a vote to either approve or reject by majority vote.
Your feedback and participation is crucial to winning a strong contract we can all be proud of. Please take a look, discuss with your colleagues, and get involved!
Bargaining updates: September 12
On the Contract
Management did not have any counter proposals, saying again that they will need some time to work on the economics for some proposals because “labor costing is new to us.”
On Accountability
Our time in negotiations recently has been taken up by representing one of your colleagues, Aleks Liou, and their work for the Youth Action for the Planet program. Read Aleks’ description of the program here, where you’ll also see a great photo of an exhibit on environmental activism that the youth put together.
We’re sharing this with you because the Academy management team’s conduct constitutes a threat to all of our rights as union members. It is not just a personnel matter, but an instance that highlights how a lack of management accountability endangers the Academy’s mission, and how our union can help management to become more accountable.
Aleks was hired as Program Manager for Youth Action for the Planet which was funded by a grant and set out to recruit and train a group of fourteen local youth to become strong activists to address climate change. Aleks has a PhD in youth organizing, and is one of the individuals responsible for securing the grant which funded the program.
During our June 25th solidarity break, some of the young people in Youth Action decided–on their own–to take action in solidarity with us by creating a leaflet about Scott Sampson and the wage inequalities that exist within the Academy, and distributed them on the public floor of the Academy. The next day, management prevented the youth from coming into the building, and they were told to not come onsite. Aleks was placed on leave the following day as well.
In short, the Academy created a program to train young people to be organizers and then, when the young people decided to organize around wage inequalities and the budget crisis at the Academy, the Academy shut down the program and now seeks to fire Aleks as Program Manager. This is, of course, not the stated reason the Academy wants to fire Aleks. They went on a fishing expedition to come up with a variety of flimsy pretexts on obscure policy grounds to justify the termination.
How does abruptly ending a program for fourteen young people of color advance our mission to regenerate that natural world through science, learning, and collaboration? If management thought that the flier that the youth put out was harmful or in bad taste, wouldn't it have been more productive to sit with them and discuss the pros and cons of their actions as a valuable learning experience in activist and solidarity work rather than banishing them from the building? Shouldn’t the connection that they made between economic and environmental justice be celebrated and encouraged?
So, how are you and your union holding management accountable?
First, by reading this update and learning about what happened. Talk about it with your colleagues and forward any questions you have for management over the incident to our bargaining team or CAT activists.
Without our union, Aleks would have already been fired. With our union, management has to turn over information justifying their desire to terminate Aleks’ employment to our bargaining team and field representatives. They will have to listen to your questions about the incident at the bargaining table, and the impacts of their actions on the Youth Action program–and our mission–won't remain a secret.