The first Labor Management meeting of the Spring 2023 semester saw the largest turnout of SLU workers yet. We had 20 people joining on zoom on the labor side. Teams of coworkers presented each issue, and multiple titles were represented. What a show of strength! Let’s keep growing that number.

The first major topic was budget cuts. SLU is directed to cut 5.5% of its budget in the next fiscal year. Labor expressed concern that these cuts are to be made by taking hours from non-teaching adjuncts (NTAs) and student services. Meanwhile, the percentage of SLU budget that is going into top management offices continues to increase. Your coworkers spoke up to ask how cost cutting decisions were being made and how the community was consulted. We also explained the effects of NTA cuts on vulnerable NTAs and their health insurance access, as well as on full-time staff. Half of our staff are NTAs and the work that they do is crucial. Some NTAs are our students.

Management’s response was split: one senior administrator reassured us that the cuts are probably not going to happen because our enrollments are strong, while another said that nothing was off the table, not even full-timer jobs. In the end, management agreed to communicate with the PSC at SLU about any cuts in NTA hours and student services and scholarships due to budget cuts. They also agreed to disclose the percent of the budget that goes to the executive/management offices at SLU. Finally, by the end of March, management agreed to share with the union a list of all NTA’s name, department, number of hours, and job responsibilities.

The second major topic was vacancies and changes in staff jobs and tasks. Your coworkers demanded to know the plan for replacing personnel in key roles and the priorities in filling vacancies given the budget cuts and the re-activation of the Vacancy Review Board. Management acknowledged what they called a “hiring pause” and said there were 20 open positions at SLU, some of which will be going ahead. Your coworkers emphasized the low morale of SLU staff, and how this is exacerbated by changes in staff jobs and tasks when they are not consulted about them, and when there is no clarity about reclassification processes. Every time a position is changed, it affects everybody in our small workplace. We need better coordination and communication, and to be a party in the decision making. Management punted that issue to CUNY Central HR, who had no meaningful answer. HR representative made an absurd suggestion to invite him to meetings with supervisors that are about evaluation. We remind our colleagues that you have a Weingarten rights: you can have a PSC representative in any meeting that you think might result in disciplinary action.

Management agreed to keep the union informed about the approval status at CUNY Central for the 20 positions that need to be filled. They agreed to provide an overview of all vacancies, open/active search committees, and their status, including the executive positions (Enrollment director, Interim External affairs director, Murphy Institute director, and Deputy IT) by April 17. They acknowledged that there are ongoing changes in job descriptions in the office of enrollment management and other student services areas, and promises were made to keep people informed and considered for professional advancement. Reclassification and salary bumps will be addressed case by case. Management re-assured the union that evaluations will not be used in a punitive manner; rather, they will be looked at as professional development opportunities, and workers will have opportunities to weigh in about modifications to the tasks that they were hired to do.

The final subject of the meeting was restructuring and transparency. Your coworkers pointed out that lack of transparency in the strategic planning process contributed to staff anxiety and low morale. Management admitted that seeing this item on the agenda reminded them to put the strategic plan on the website. They said that there has not been a conversation about restricting in a long time but that it needs to happen.

The next Labor Management meeting at SLU is 1-2:30pm on Tuesday, April 25.