BARGAINING
UPDATES

January 15, 2026

On Thursday, we reached a Tentative Agreement on our Discipline and Discharge article! This article establishes fair standards and processes for job-related disciplinary proceedings and codifies that we are entitled to the presence of a union representative throughout the process.  We also presented counters on Public Safety and Health and Safety and fielded counter proposals from the administration on Health and Safety, Support, and Management Rights.  We have won and continue to fight for language that will make bargaining unit employees and all Pitt community members more safe, regardless of their identity or immigration status. We also reminded the administration that we are still awaiting responses on our hours of work proposal, which we submitted in May 2025, and academic freedom.

If you are interested in joining future bargaining sessions as an observer, fill out this general interest form.

As usual, you can stay up to date with our Bargaining Tracker, and see this and previous updates and newsletters here. Don’t forget to fill out your membership card, or to fill out this form if your working conditions change. The administration will NOT have access to your membership card information (including whether or not you signed one) until our first contract is ready for ratification.

In solidarity, 

Your bargaining committee 

Lauren Wewer, Chair (MEMS)  
Michaela Cushing-Daniels, Recording Secretary (SPIA)  
Keanna Cash (SOE)    
Aden Halpern (Economics)  
Alisa Omelchenko (SOM)  
Chi-Tsung Chang (English)  
Hollen Tillman (SSW)
Matt Nader (USW)
Nate Kilbert (USW)
Don Shaffer (USW)