October 2024
The Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP) successfully voted to ratify the five-year contract that it tentatively agreed to in September. The contract was approved by Temple University’s Board of Trustees at the board’s October meeting, subject to the TAUP ratification vote.
Temple and TAUP have been bargaining since August 2023, and TAUP’s previous agreement expired Oct. 15, 2023. This new agreement represents a significant accomplishment for both the university as well as the collective bargaining unit.
Some of the highlights of the contract include significant wage increases, heightened job security for non-tenure-track faculty members and adjuncts, and expanded benefits.
September 2024
On Monday, Sept. 16, Temple University and the Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP) reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The two parties have been bargaining since August 2023, and TAUP’s previous agreement expired Oct. 15, 2023. TAUP's leadership will now present the tentative agreement to its membership for ratification in the coming weeks. The agreement is also subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.
Highlights of the new tentative five-year contract, which would expire May 31, 2028, include significant wage increases, heightened job security for non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty members and adjuncts as well as expanded benefits.
August 2024
On Monday, Aug. 12, the university put forward a substantial economic and wage proposal that builds on all previous offers.
Greatest salary increases in 20+ years and significant gains for adjuncts
- The university’s current proposal amounts to an average of more than 17% in across-the-board increases plus merit for full-time employees over the life of the contract, with those at a lower salary tier receiving the highest increases.
- For all full-time employees, the university’s updated offer includes:
- a 1% merit pool for achievements in the AY23–24,
- base salary increases of $8,500 along with a 1% merit pool in AY24–25; and
- 3% across the board raises with an additional 1% merit pool plus discretionary merit increases of 0-.5%, in each of the following three years.
- For adjunct faculty, the proposal includes a 37.5% increase of the per-credit minimum for AY24–25 from $1,600 to $2,200—bringing the minimum for a three-credit course from $4,800 to $6,600, plus a $500 per credit payment for AY23–24.
Bolstered job security for NTTs and adjuncts, including
- presumption of continued appointment for NTT faculty members after nine consecutive academic years with satisfactory performance, effective fall 2025;
- severance payments for NTT faculty members with 10 consecutive years or more if employment ends for reasons that are not related to the faculty member’s conduct or performance; and
- multi-semester appointments for adjuncts after working at least four consecutive years.
The current offer also expands benefits including paid parental leave for librarians and academic professionals, increased retirement contributions for NTT faculty members, and prescription drug benefits for adjunct faculty. The next university meeting with TAUP is on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
May 2024
On May 22, the university provided union representatives with an economic proposal that builds on the previous offer made during the May 1 bargaining session (as referenced below) and exceeds across-the-board salary increases in TAUP’s previous four-year agreement.
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The university’s current proposal amounts to a minimum of 14% in increased salary in across-the-board raises over the life of the contract, with those at a lower salary tier receiving the highest increases.
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The university’s updated offer includes base salary increases of 4% or $4,500 (whichever is greater) for full-time bargaining unit employees in year one, along with a 1% merit pool, and then 2.5% across the board raises with an additional 1% merit pool in each of the next four years.
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Adjunct faculty members who have worked for four consecutive years will receive multi semester appointments.
During the session, TAUP provided an updated noneconomic proposal and an economic counter that the university is currently reviewing.
On May 1, TAUP provided university representatives with a requested economic counterproposal, along with a counter related to noneconomic issues. Within the same bargaining session, the university responded with a comprehensive counter to economic and noneconomic matters.
The university’s counterproposal includes the following significant gains for adjuncts.
- A 28% increase of the per-credit minimum in year one for adjunct faculty from $1,600 to $2,050, retroactive for the fall 2023 semester, bringing the minimum for a three-credit course from $4,800 to $6,150. Most courses taught by adjunct faculty are three-credit courses.
- An increase to the per-credit minimum for adjunct faculty every year, beginning with the fall 2024 semester.
- Multi-semester appointments for adjuncts after working at least five consecutive years. Currently, adjunct contracts are renewed for individual semesters.
Additionally, the university’s economic counterproposal builds on the previous offer and exceeds across-the-board and merit pool increases in TAUP’s previous four-year agreement.
- The university’s current proposal amounts to a minimum of 13% in increased salary, without merit increases, over the life of the contract, with those at a lower salary tier receiving the highest increases.
- The university’s offer includes base salary increases of 4% or $4,000 (the larger number of the two) for full-time bargaining unit employees in year one, with those at a lower salary tier receiving the highest increases, along with a 1% merit pool, and then 2.25% across the board raises with an additional 1% merit pool in each of the next four years.
- By comparison, the last collective bargaining agreement between Temple University and TAUP (October 2019–October 2023) amounted to a 7.25% raise over the life of the contract without merit. The agreement included base salary increases of 1.625%, 1% merit pool and additional 0.25–0.75% merit increases for the first two years and 2% across-the-board raises, 1% merit pool with an additional 0–0.5% merit pool for the remaining two years.
The university has presented this package on the condition that it be ratified by May 15, 2024.
April 2024
On April 10, in response to the economic proposal TAUP presented on April 2, university representatives presented a full economic counterproposal that proposes increases in benefits and in compensation.
Highlights from the university’s latest counterproposal include the following.
Compensation Increases
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Retroactive to July 1, 2023, full-time bargaining unit employees will receive either a 4% or $3,750 raise, the larger number of the two. In addition, there will be an additional 1% merit pool; and then 2% across the board raises with an additional 1% merit pool in each of the next four years.
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Retroactive to the fall 2023 semester, the per-credit minimum for adjunct faculty will be increased by 19% from $1,550 to $1,850, putting it well above the average Philadelphia rate of $1,600 per credit. Adjuncts in the bargaining unit as of fall 2023 and/or spring 2024 who earned above the minimum will receive a one-time payment of $450, and the adjunct per-credit minimum will increase by $50 per year beginning fall 2024 semester.
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Increases to salary minima across all employee categories, ranging from 12% to 72%.
Job Security
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Severance pay for long-term non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty who are not renewed
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Payment to adjuncts for late cancellation of classes will be increased from 4% to 10%.
Benefit Increases
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The university retirement contribution for NTT faculty will be increased to 8.5%, providing equity between NTT and tenured/tenure-track faculty.
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Addition of prescription coverage for adjunct faculty
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Paid parental leave for librarians and academic professionals
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Increase in short-term disability benefit from $225/week to $350/week, or the opportunity to enroll in another university plan that provides 60% of pay
This latest counterproposal from the university is conditioned upon ratification by May 15, 2024, and if ratification occurs, this collective bargaining agreement will remain in effect through June 30, 2028.
March 2024
TAUP provided the university with two meeting dates for the month of March.
During the March 18 session, TAUP presented a counter proposal in response to the university presenting its economic proposal on Feb. 26.
After reviewing the counter proposal from TAUP, the university used the March 25 session to discuss specific elements of the proposal and ask several in-depth questions to better understand it and the union’s goals so that both parties could get closer to an agreement.
February 2024
Temple University representatives were first to present an economic package proposal to TAUP reps, on the condition that it be ratified by March 31, 2024. View the full economic package, which included the following.
- Retroactive to July 1, 2023, 4% across the board raises for full-time bargaining unit employees, with another 1% merit pool; and then 2% across the board raises with an additional 1% merit pool in each of the next four years.
- Effective for the fall 2023 semester, the adjunct per-credit minimum will be $1,800 (up 12.5% from $1,600). Adjuncts in the bargaining unit as of fall 2023 and/or spring 2024 who earned above the minimum will receive a one-time payment of $400, less required withholdings and deductions, paid within 30 days of ratification. The adjunct per-credit minimum will increase by $50 per year beginning with the fall 2024 semester.
- Librarians and academic professionals will be eligible for paid parental leave under Temple’s policy applicable to non represented Temple staff.
- Librarians and academic professionals will be eligible for short-term disability benefits on the same terms applicable to non represented Temple staff.
January 2024
Temple officials and TAUP reached tentative agreements on several proposals and language for what will be in the new contract, including
- revisions to the grievance and arbitration processes,
- the formalization of scheduled time off for librarians,
- the use of gender-neutral language in the new CBA, and
- the deletion of dated material in the contract that is no longer relevant.