Labor Relations

UA Bargaining Team hopes for progress during next week’s negotiations with CAUSE

The Latest: UA is hopeful that next week’s negotiation session with CAUSE’s bargaining team will bring forward progress on a first contract. Despite UA’s best efforts, negotiations have been moving incredibly slowly, unnecessarily extending uncertainty for employees. 

Catch Up Quick: Last week, UA explicitly requested that CAUSE negotiators respond to the University's complete, 17-article master package proposal - including all monetary terms like compensation - to keep things moving forward. 

  • Despite those repeated, clear requests and additional urging from UA’s Bargaining Team to consider compensation proposals today, CAUSE negotiators only presented a few non-monetary articles during the negotiation day and did not provide any response or new proposal on wages or benefits.
  • In order to keep things moving, UA presented a 6th and a 7th complete contract proposal to CAUSE negotiators, incorporating key priorities and language from previous CAUSE proposals. 

Where Things Stand: UA is awaiting a response to its most recent contract proposal from CAUSE negotiators.

  • Ground Rules: Towards the end of bargaining last week, CAUSE did respond to UA’s proposal from several weeks ago on ground rules. Ground rules not only provide a framework for negotiation - which can help them move faster - but also establish a way for CAUSE and UA to “TA” (or reach “tentative agreement”) on portions of the contract.
  • Contested Positions: UA believes that more than 300 positions were improperly included in the CAUSE bargaining unit. Despite the uncertainty that creates for staff in those positions, CAUSE negotiators explicitly stated they will not consider clarifications to the union membership roster based on job descriptions and duties. UA is considering other options to resolve the issue.

Why it Matters: We know employees have questions about the progress of negotiations and a strong desire to resolve the uncertainty around contested positions. We’ve been seeking to resolve these issues through bargaining.

  • The lack of active engagement and forward movement on either front from CAUSE negotiators raises the real risk that a contract may not be reached in time for the March 19, 2027 legislative deadline.

The Bottom Line: UA remains committed to having a complete contract in place for CAUSE-represented staff in time for the reviews required before the March 19, 2027 deadline. 

  • We will continue to meet and bargain in good faith with CAUSE in the hopes of making forward progress.
  • We’re also preparing next steps that support a timely resolution on contested positions with clear communication to impacted employees.

What’s Next: bargaining sessions continue:

  • October 7, 2026
  • October 21, 2026
  • November 10, 2026 
  • November 18, 2026