Tyrone Davidson, Planner Estimator, IPO, Busch Campus Building Representative and Bargaining Team Member
We met with management on July 22, 2026, where management attempted to take us back to the Stone Age with two counterproposals:
Article 35 (Reclassification) Counterproposal
Management rejected our new language to improve the reclassification criteria and process. When discussing our addition of institutional knowledge to the criteria, their lead negotiator stated “there is value to institutional knowledge, but it does not belong in the contract.” Management confirmed that they do not have a standard rubric for making reclassification determinations and that they rely on their favorite buzzwords: “managerial prerogative.”
Article 42 (Seniority and Layoff) Counterproposal
We proposed new language clarifying and making the process easier for laid-off employees to get interviews and be re-hired into open positions. Despite management saying that “it is in their interest to rehire our people,” our members continue to report not even getting interviews for open positions, let alone jobs. Meanwhile, there are 353 part-time jobs and 57 temporary jobs with no benefits on the UHR website today. How much of the work in those positions is work that should be done by full time URA members? We are fighting to protect our members and our bargaining unit work from subcontracting.
URA submitted Article 59 (Flexible Work Arrangements) to Management
We continue to fight to keep Flexible Work Arrangement decisions at the department level and to improve the process. Management’s informal response was their favorite go-to; that our new definitions tread on managerial rights. So who should be making the decisions for individuals and departments? Should it be upper-management, who we believe do not understand our work and our departmental needs, or the individual departments working collaboratively within teams?
