Alaska University Staff Union Files Three Labor Complaints Against University

The Coalition of Alaska University Staff for Equity (CAUSE-UAW) filed three unfair labor practice complaints with the Alaska Labor Relations Agency against the University of Alaska. The filings come as contract negotiations between the union and the university system show little progress. The labor agency has accepted the complaints and will review them.

Ian Marks, an assistant athletic director for media relations at the University of Alaska Anchorage and a member of the CAUSE-UAW bargaining team, stated that the initial contract proposed by the university reduced benefits for members. This proposal created a difficult start to the bargaining process. The union and the university are now working toward a March 19 deadline to finalize a new agreement.

Despite this timeline, officials on both sides express concern that the deadline may be missed. Marks and Jonathon Taylor, the public affairs director for the university system, noted that nearly a dozen bargaining sessions have occurred with minimal tangible results. The two groups have two additional bargaining sessions scheduled for November.

A point of contention involves the size of the bargaining unit. Employees voted to unionize in April, forming a unit of 2,300 workers. This group became one of the largest in the state. However, the university has challenged 300 of those positions. The administration claims these roles are supervisory or deal with confidential information, which would preclude union membership.

On October 26, university officials changed job descriptions for hundreds of union members, including Marks. These changes effectively removed the affected employees from the bargaining unit. In an email to members, the bargaining team stated that this action violates Alaska labor law. They described the complaints as violations of negotiation process rather than substantive disagreements.

New University of Alaska President Matthew Cooper addressed the situation during a town hall meeting last week. He acknowledged the uncertainty and discomfort surrounding the negotiations. Cooper described bargaining for a first contract as an uncomfortable process that requires resolution. He committed to moving quickly to reach an agreement before the March deadline.

The March deadline is critical because the Alaska Legislature must approve collective bargaining agreements for state workers prior to that date. The Alaska Graduate Workers Association, the most recent employee union to reach an agreement with the university, signed a contract in less than 100 days.

Nicole Thibodeau, an administrator and hearing examiner with the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, said unfair labor practice charges are common during negotiations. The agency has received 10 such complaints this year and aims to address each within three to four months. Board members can dismiss complaints or find probable cause, which triggers a hearing that may last another six weeks.

Remedies recommended by the board often involve returning to the bargaining table or maintaining the status quo. The board can also enforce back payment. Thibodeau noted that the filing of charges may indicate how contentious the negotiations are, but the goal is to keep the parties working together.

The university responded to two of the three complaints, stating that the union's argument for 3% raises was wholly without merit. Marks said the union has met for 10 sessions and has zero tentative agreements because one side refuses to tentatively agree to anything. He expressed frustration that one side appears concerned but unwilling to step up. Cooper said morale is a real issue and that he wants the university to be a place where people want to work.