August 26 Update
Report From The Table Team: August 26 Negotiations
For 301 days, Ohio University faculty have waited for the administration to respond to their compensation proposal.
On Wednesday, the administration finally delivered its Faculty Rank, Classification and Compensation counterproposal, and it certainly does not reflect a desire to invest in faculty. The administration has now put its priorities on paper. In their counter-offer, they proposed to make permanent the salary freeze they instituted in 2025, implementing 2%-per-year raises beginning in 2027 with no additional adjustments to base salary. This proposal is quite far from UAOU's original proposal of a combination of raises that would have increased average salaries by over 8% annually over three years, bringing faculty pay at OU in line with our in-state peers.
After reviewing this proposal and meeting with members, one thing is clear: waiting for the administration to do the right thing will not win us the contract we deserve. We will win it by organizing, standing together, and demonstrating that faculty are prepared to fight for our future and win a fair first contract. The message of their counter-offer is unmistakable: University Administration considers faculty to be an unimportant investment.
Our salaries have flatlined. Too many faculty face insecure appointments, and an uncertain future at OU. These issues determine whether talented educators and researchers can build careers here and whether Ohio University can continue to provide the education our students deserve.
Ohio University asks our campus community to “Make Respect Visible.” But the Administration’s salary proposal reduces “respect” to an empty slogan.
Respect means fairly compensating the faculty who teach our students, conduct valuable and important research, and make Ohio University successful. Respect looks like benefits that allow faculty and their families to thrive. Respect means bargaining in good faith instead of making faculty wait nearly a year for a response.
We are working on strong counterproposals to the Salary and Compensation, Benefits, and the other pieces of the economic package. These counters will be grounded in what we have heard from members throughout this campaign and in a simple principle: OU faculty deserve a contract that reflects the true value of our work.
Faculty are the foundation of Ohio University. We teach and mentor students, produce research and creative work, sustain academic programs, and build the reputation that makes OU successful. As we return to the table, we will fight for an economic package that recognizes those contributions, addresses years of inadequate investment in faculty, and makes it possible for OU to recruit, retain, and support the outstanding faculty our students deserve.
Our next scheduled negotiating date is Wednesday, September 16 (1pm – 5pm) at Baker Center.
We need every bargaining unit member to be informed and ready to act. Review our proposals, scrutinize the administration’s counters, and see what we have won so far. Visit the UAOU Bargaining Tracker then talk with your colleagues and get ready to fight for the fair first contract we deserve. Be sure to join us and stand with faculty, students, and supporters at the rally on the green on September 9.
If you have any questions or comments, reach out at unitedacademicsofou@gmail.com.
Rally on the Green: September 9
The September 9 rally will be our first large action of the semester. Faculty, students, alumni, and supporters will come together to send a clear message to the Ohio University administration: Fair Contract Now. RSVP at https://www.uaou.org/september-rally
For more specific information regarding the proposals and tentative agreements, please see the proposal tracker at https://www.uaou.org/bargaining-tracker
