The FUSA Council will hold its monthly meeting on Friday, October 24, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the Ybor campus, room YLRC 305. All Faculty are welcome to attend!
The Informant
If you didn’t get the latest edition of the FUSA Informant hot off the presses yesterday at FPD Day, you can download it here along with past issues.
The new contract
Speaking of hot off the presses, the new FUSA contract is almost done! FUSA has been working with Administration to edit and proof the new articles before sending to the printers. We should have print and digital copies available within a the next few weeks.
As always, feel free to contact us or one or your campus Council reps if you have any questions and stay tuned for more updates.
As always, FUSA is hosting the Faculty Graduation Breakfast at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Friday, May 2, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. For more information, view the invitation.
Bargaining
The fourth and currently last planned bargaining session is slated for May 9 at the Ybor City Campus, YLRC 305, from 9am – 1pm. All faculty are invited to attend FUSA bargaining sessions with Administration. In fact, we encourage it! Even if you can’t stay for the full session a steady stream of faculty in attendance speaks volumes about our solidarity.
The FUSA Informant and more
If you haven’t read the latest issue of the FUSA Informant, fear not. We have it linked online so you can read about your union and the various happenings this spring.
A key finding: “Unionized faculty who collectively bargain are paid tens of thousands of dollars more than those who don’t, the new report shows. And it helps everyone around them…including other staff on those campuses and even non-union faculty in the same states.”
While there was little suspense, FUSA easily bounded the hurdle of union recertification with a clear signal that legislative union busting attempts will not win the day! Voting closed April 1, 2025, and the ballots were tallied and reported by PERC, the Public Employees Relation Commission.
As FUSA President Sherry Sippel noted, “A resounding 99.2% of voting faculty were in favor of continuing to be represented by FUSA as their collective bargaining agent! In addition, almost 70% of the faculty voted! That sends a strong message to the legislature that their next union-busting tactic of requiring more than half the bargaining unit to vote will surely fail here at HCC.”
UFF President Teresa Hodge added, “Please join me in congratulating the Faculty United Service Association of Hillsborough Community College on their PERC election win today…Our bargaining unit members are continuing to make it clear that they want to keep their collective bargaining rights and their union by voting ‘YES for UFF!’ UFF now has nine (9) chapters that have won their PERC elections. So, let’s celebrate each PERC win as we continue to thrive against all the odds!”
On behalf of the FUSA Council, our sincere thanks to everyone for casting their vote! United we are stronger!!
Bargaining – round 3
Our third of four scheduled bargaining sessions will take place April 4 at 9am – 1pm in YLRC 305 (Ybor Campus). As agreed to by both Admin and FUSA, this is the last session at which article proposals can be presented. Here is a Bargaining Summary of the proposals presented thus far and their status after the first two sessions.
All faculty are encouraged to attend bargaining sessions and stay involved! When we pack the room with faculty it really makes a statement–much like our PERC victory–that your contract is important and so is your union.
Legislative updates and action
Advocacy in Tallahassee by faculty and educators, with the help of UFF, FEA, and Working Families Lobby Corps, is making an impact. So is FEA’s weekly power hour Zoom meetings and legislative actions which have resulted in thousands of emails and phone calls each week to legislators on proposed legislation.
For instance, the perennial “guns on campus” zombie bill is dead once again! And this year’s union busting bills are having a hard go of it, seeming to be stalled in both chambers. Meanwhile, the Higher Ed “Presidential searches in the sunshine” bill is getting closer to becoming reality and would fix a terribly politicizing change made to a once open process.
Keep up the pressure with these actions (select “United Faculty of Florida” as your local union):
Educators in Florida are facing a two-prong attack. Closer to home, the Florida legislature is again coming at us with union busting bills, while nationally we have the current administration’s unconstitutional efforts to dismantle the Department of Education to contend with. But don’t lose hope. Fight back! Let them know we stand united in defense of education, students, and the right to a collective voice to negotiate better wages, benefits, and working conditions.
On the Florida front
It is time to tell your legislators once and for all to leave educators, students and unions alone. Year after year bills are filed and often pass that defy your constituents and the intent of the Florida constitution which has enshrined the right to collectively bargain. Year after year teachers have shown that we will fight for our voice as workers that teach for the public good.
It’s time to tell Congress to do their constitutional duty as a coequal branch of government and to protect the federal agencies they created from the callous, chaotic, incompetent cuts like those aimed at dismantling the Department of Education. Read UFF’s Press Release Condemning Executive Order Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, then take action:
We all get so much email. A ton. Like waves crashing on the shore, the email just keeps rolling in. But isn’t it such a great feeling when you know you can delete an email and forget it ever existed?
Well, rest assured you can delete the email titled “Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity Survey” sent by HCC (as mandated by the state), and consign it to the digital dustbin forever. And here’s why:
United Faculty of Florida (UFF) strongly advises against participating in this survey. For several critical reasons, it is seen as a violation of your rights while also being a scientifically dubious instrument. UFF recently sent out guidance to members on this survey to your personal email, but to summarize, the survey is problematic in the following respects:
Privacy and Autonomy
Survey Integrity and Relevance
Potential for Discrimination
Implications of Bias
Surveillance Concerns
Freedom of Speech
Political Coercion
For more information, here is a PDF detailing UFF’s position and guidance regarding the “Viewpoint Discrimination” Survey. If you have any questions feel free to contact us or reach out to your campus FUSA council reps.
A lot is going on both locally for FUSA and at the state and national level regarding education and higher ed in particular. Your union is committed to helping safeguard and improve working conditions and pay for faculty. And there are times when we need to call on all members to lend a hand in these battles because our strength is in our numbers. Looking out for each other is the true meaning of solidarity.
Ballots
By now you should have received a FUSA Fire notification in your HCC email from FUSA President, Sherry Sippel, outlining the frustrating background behind the union recertification vote we are required to hold.
You should have also received your ballot by now at your home address. If you haven’t yet received your ballot, contact us as soon as possible. You may also email FUSA_President at hccfl.edu or jbullian at hccfl.edu.
It is imperative we get not only all FUSA members but every single HCC faculty member to vote YES to keep the union. This will send a strong message to Tallahassee that these unwarranted bureaucratic hurdles recently mandated for teacher unions, among others, are both a waste of time and taxpayer money.
Bargaining
Our second of four scheduled bargaining sessions occurred Feb 21. Both Admin and FUSA presented article proposals. Here is a Bargaining Summary of the proposals presented thus far. The next bargaining session is slated for April 4 at 9am – 1pm in YLRC 305 (Ybor Campus). All faculty are encouraged to attend and stay involved! We had a good faculty turn out last time. Let’s try and improve on it and get even more faculty to show up!
And now for the B.S.
Not only are we in the midst of the 2025 Florida Legislative session, we also are witnessing unprecedented attacks on government and education that have come with the new presidential administration. The “move fast and break things” approach has been callous, chaotic and incompetent.
If you are feeling powerless and looking for a way to stand up and fight for education and the institutions that have made this country great, your union is here to help. In fact there are large national alliances that are pushing back on these attacks.
A great example of union power and solidarity happened on Feb. 25, 2025 in D.C. at a rally held by Labor for Higher Education, a group consisting of higher ed labor unions banding together to oppose the targeted attack on workers and funding at colleges and universities. Concurrently, an online meeting was held during which participants called their legislators and other officials and urged them to oppose these unprecedented attacks on academic workers across the country. If you missed the rally you can watch the video below (note the audio clears up at about 0:1:40 or so).
The event featured:
CWA Vice President, Public, Healthcare & Education Workers, Margaret Cook AAUP President Todd Wolfson UAW 2750 President Emilya Ventriglia AFT President Randi Weingarten AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride UAW Int’l Executive Board – Region 6 Director Mike Miller Rutgers AAUP/AFT member Annika Barber UE General President Carl Rosen NEA Council for Higher Education Alec Thomson HELU Chair Levin Kim/UAW
FUSA met with Administration on Nov. 22 2024 for the first bargaining session for the 2025-2028 contract. This was just the first of four sessions which will continue in the spring term. Both FUSA and Administration presented initial proposals (noted below).
On Jan. 24, FUSA and Administration met for a joint workshop to work through mutual interest-based issues for bargaining, such as lab points, the grievance procedure, and textbooks. In addition, a workshop was held Nov. 13 to work on Rank issues. These issues, among others, will be bargained at future sessions.
Bargaining session schedule
Mark your calendars for the following bargaining sessions to take place at the Ybor campus room YLRC 305. Faculty attendance is greatly encouraged!
Bargaining Session # 2 – 12pm Feb. 21
Bargaining Session # 3 – 9am Apr. 4
Bargaining Session # 4 – 9am May 9
What’s been presented?
The following contract proposals were presented at the first bargaining session:
Separately, FUSA and Admin agreed on an MOU covering reimbursement of new state medical plan costs in December 2024 only to cover the double payments while still on the HCC plan. These reimbursements have already occurred.
The next FUSA Council meeting will occur Fri. Jan 24, 2025 at 9am in YLRC 305. All Faculty are welcome to attend.
Member benefits
Are you taking advantage of all of your union benefits? FUSA members are part of a larger labor movement for educators specifically and workers in general. In addition to the provisions and protections in our contract, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA), there are many other benefits members can choose to tap into. Learn more about the benefits of membership.
Legislative session
The 2025 Legislative session will begin in March. Your elected UFF Senators and the FUSA Council will keep abreast of the potential impacts to higher ed. Take a look at how you can get involved in and contact us:
Join the FUSA Government Relations committee
Become a member of the Higher Ed Regional Outreach (HERO) team for West Central Florida.
If you have any questions feel free contact us. To learn more about the benefits of being a FUSA member, visit our Member Benefits page.
Bargaining update
Due to the recent storm closure for Hurricane Milton, FUSA and the Administration have rescheduled bargaining for Nov. 22 at the Ybor campus (YLRC 305) from 12noon – 2pm. Stay tuned for the official notice from the college and an update from the FUSA President.
Bargaining on the 2025-2028 contract will continue throughout Fall and extend into Spring term. Further dates will be shared as they are scheduled. Faculty attendance at bargaining sessions is greatly encouraged!
Hard to believe, but it is bargaining season again. FUSA’s team will meet with the Admin team on Oct. 11, 9am – 12pm at the Ybor campus (YLRC 305) to negotiate the 2025-2028 contract. Bargaining will continue throughout Fall and will extend into Spring term. Further dates will be shared as they are scheduled. Faculty attendance at bargaining sessions is greatly encouraged!
Voting
As you are likely well aware the 2024 General Election is fast approaching. Are you election ready? Here are some key dates and voting resources.
The last day to register to vote is October 7. Note: if you are already registered you should verify your registration is still active — a recent Florida law requires voters update their registration if they haven’t voted in the last two elections.
Faculty United Service Association 
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