April 29, 2021

Loyola University Chicago and SEIU Local 73 met on Thursday, April 29, for our eighth College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) bargaining session. The session was positive and productive, with both sides continuing to bargain in good faith in the hopes of reaching an agreement.

At the session, Loyola made three economic counterproposals, which were discussed by both parties:

Article 13.1-General – Loyola proposed allowing full-time Unionized Faculty members (other than Temporary Faculty) to participate in the College of Arts and Sciences Rank and Tenure Committee.

Article 20-Workload – Loyola proposed several amendments to Article 20, including:

• Article 20.1(F)-Large Course Enrollments: Loyola proposed courses with a minimum enrollment of at least one hundred and five (105) students without any discussion sections or courses with a minimum enrollment of ninety-five (95) students with at least three (3) discussion sections will count as the equivalent of two (2) standard three-credit hour courses. Loyola also proposed that courses with a minimum enrollment of seventy-five (75) students with two (2) discussion sections will be counted as the equivalent of one and one half (1.5) of one (1) standard three-credit hour course, if the course meets the minimum number of students enrolled.

The Union presented a supposal seeking any courses with a minimum enrollment of at least ninety-five (95) students without any discussion sections or courses with a minimum enrollment of eighty (80) students with at least three (3) discussion sections will count as the equivalent of two (2) standard three-credit hour courses, if the courses meet the minimum number of students enrolled.

• Article 20.1(G)-Department of Fine and Performing Arts: Loyola proposed adding MUSC 261 and MUSC 262 to the list of courses in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts that are equivalent to one-half (1/2) of one (1) standard three-credit hour course.
  
  
• Article 20.5-Course Releases: Loyola proposed adding overseeing English placements in a particular academic year to the list of situations when full-time Unionized Faculty members may be eligible to receive a one course release or additional compensation (subject to specific requirements). Loyola also proposed that the process for requesting a course release or additional compensation will begin with the Unionized Faculty member requesting their preference for either a course release or the additional compensation from the departmental chairperson. Once the departmental chairperson has verified the requirements for either a course release or additional compensation have been met, the timing of the course release or additional compensation will require further approval from the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences or their designee. A Unionized Faculty member will not receive a release of more than one (1) standard course in any academic year or additional compensation of more than one stipend in any academic year.
  
  
• Article 20.7-Unpaid Leaves: Loyola reiterated its proposal adding Article 20.7 to note that full-time Unionized Faculty members (other than Temporary Faculty) who have completed their probationary period and wish to participate in projects or activities that require an absence from teaching and other responsibilities at the University will be eligible to apply for an unpaid leave. Any approved leave would not be considered a break in service and during the leave, the full-time Unionized Faculty member will be eligible (or ineligible) to receive benefits on the same terms and conditions as full-time non-unionized faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences who are also on unpaid leaves.
  
  
• Article 20.8-Parental Leave: Loyola proposed part-time Unionized Faculty members will be eligible for up to three (3) weeks of paid leave if the Unionized Faculty member has given birth to a child, is a spouse or partner of a woman who has given birth to a child, or has adopted a child or had a foster child age 17 or younger placed with them. To receive the leave, the part-time Unionized Faculty member will be required to notify their departmental chairperson at least thirty (30) days prior to the start of the leave, will work with the departmental chairperson and other assigned faculty to cover instructional needs during the leave and the leave must commence within thirty (30) calendar days of when the birth, adoption, or foster placement occurs.

Article 23-Compensation – Loyola proposed several amendments to Article 23, including:

• Article 23.1(A)(1)-Minimum Annual Salaries for 2021-22 Academic Year: Loyola proposed increasing the minimum annual salaries for full-time Unionized Faculty members to the following based on the number of academic years they have taught at the University:
  
  
  • Less than 3 full academic years
    • Lecturer (without a terminal degree or equivalency): $58,982
    • Lecturer (with a terminal degree or equivalency): $61,054
  • Between 3 and 6 full academic years
    • Lecturer: $64,160
    • Advanced Lecturer: $66,955
  • More than 6 full academic years
    • Lecturer: $66,955
    • Advanced Lecturer: $70,579
    • Senior Lecturer: $76,549

Loyola also proposed when a full-time Unionized Faculty member moves into a category of longer service within the same rank, any increase of their annual salary to a new minimum will occur after the next round of annual merit salary increases have been applied to the Unionized Faculty member’s annual salary.

• Article 23.1(B)(1)-Minimum Pay Rates Per Credit Hour: Loyola proposed increasing the standard pay rates per credit hour for part-time Unionized Faculty members to:
  • With a Terminal Degree or Equivalency: $2,200
  • Without a Terminal Degree or Equivalency: $1,990

The Union presented a supposal seeking to increase the standard pay rates per credit hour for part-time Unionized Faculty members to:

• • With a Terminal Degree or Equivalency: $2,350
  • Without a Terminal Degree or Equivalency: $2,140

• Article 23.1(B)(2)-Hourly Rates for Certain Courses: Loyola reiterated its proposal to maintain the standard hourly rate paid to part-time Unionized Faculty members for certain courses and other terms at the current amount of $73.54 per hour.

The Union presented a supposal seeking to increase the standard hourly rate paid to part-time Unionized Faculty member for certain courses and other terms to $74 per hour.

• Article 23.1(B)(4)-Adjunct Instructors: Loyola proposed increasing the minimum pay rate per credit hour for part-time Unionized Faculty members who have achieved the status of “Adjunct Instructors” to $2,410.

The Union presented a supposal seeking to increase the minimum pay rate per credit hour for part-time Unionized Faculty members who have achieved the status of “Adjunct Instructors” to $2,550. The Union also proposed any “Adjunct Instructors” who are paid hourly will receive an hourly rate of $80.33.

• Article 23.1(D)-Terminal Degree in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures: Loyola reiterated its proposal that part-time Unionized Faculty members teaching language instruction courses who were hired prior to June 11, 2018, and possess a master’s degree, including those who are all but dissertation (ABD), but not a Ph.D., will be compensated at a rate of $2,171 per credit hour. This will remain until the pay rate for part-time Unionized Faculty members “without a terminal degree or equivalency” in section 23.1(B)(1) exceeds the pay rate for those Unionized Faculty members. At that time, the pay rate in this Section will increase to the same pay rate for part-time Unionized Faculty members “without a terminal degree or equivalency” as stated in Section 23.1(B)(1).

SEIU Local 73 made several additional proposals in its two economic supposals, which were discussed briefly by both parties and will be further discussed at the next scheduled session:

Article 20-Workload – The Union proposed several amendments to Article 20, including:

• Article 20.1(A)-Full-Time Regular Workload: The Union proposed full-time Unionized Lecturers will normally be required to teach four (4) three-credit hour courses in each of the Fall and Spring academic terms. The Union also proposed that Advanced and Senior Lecturers will normally be required to teach four (4) three-credit hour classes in one semester and three (3) three-credit hour classes in the other semester.
  
  
• Article 20.5-Course Releases: The Union proposed several amendments to Article 20.5, including:
  
  
  • Article 20.5(A): The Union proposed if a full-time Unionized Faculty member taught 540 or more student credit hours in the previous academic year as part of their full-time regular workload as described in Section 20.1(A), they can request a one course release for one semester in the subsequent academic year.
    
    
  • Article 20.5(D): The Union proposed if a full-time Unionized Faculty member is teaching a writing intensive course, they can request up to one course release or additional compensation that academic year.
    
    
  • Article 20.5(E): The Union proposed if a full-time Unionized Faculty member is appointed to or receives a service position for which a Tenure Track Faculty member in the same or similar position is granted a course release, they can request up to one course release or additional compensation that academic year.
    
    
  • Article 20.5(F): The Union proposed if a full-time Unionized Faculty member is the laboratory coordinator for at least thirty (30) labs in one academic year, they can request up to one course release or additional compensation that academic year.

What’s Next?
Loyola and SEIU Local 73 will meet for our next bargaining session on Thursday, May 6. In the meantime, please visit LUC.edu/bargaining for additional information.