Librarians get together with FA Officers

On October 9, a group of librarians came together with FA officers and staff for a convivial afternoon of drinks, snacks, and talking about bargaining.

For most Librarians, this event was the first opportunity to meet Tracy Samra, FA’s Executive Directory, and Jaime Deutekom, the Association’s first-ever full-time Membership Officer.

FA Librarians Committee Chair Tad Suzuki opened the formal agenda with an update on that group’s activities, followed by Kathleen Matthews, Librarian Representative to the FA Executive, introducing the rest of the afternoon’s speakers.

Carol Gordon (Negotiating Team member) and Richard Pickard (Chair of the Negotiating Team, and Faculty Association Treasurer) provided thoughtful updates and answered questions about the current round of bargaining. Proposed librarian specific contract sections were discussed, as well as some wider-reaching aspects of the current proposal.

There were many laughs, but Librarians also shared serious discussion of bargaining protocols, alternative forms of merit distribution, and issues related to hiring and retention, among other things.

Helga Hallgrímsdóttir, FA President and Negotiating Team member, then gave an update on FA Executive activities, along with her thoughts on the continued necessity of a mil-rate increase.

All parties agreed that more dialogue on bargaining is needed (in the form if an in-person meeting for Librarians to discuss the issues further), as well as continued consideration of the proposed mil-rate increase, which the Faculty Association Executive will be asking everyone to vote on again, later in the Fall.