On May 1, negotiations continued between Temple University and the Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP), the union that represents full- and part-time faculty members, librarians and academic professionals at 13 of Temple’s 17 schools and colleges. TAUP came to this bargaining session with an economic counterproposal and a counterproposal related to noneconomic issues, which had been requested by the university’s negotiating team. 

After receiving the counterproposals, the university reviewed and swiftly responded with its own, which provides strong economic increases and benefits for adjunct faculty members, alongside larger salary increases than what had already been proposed. 

“We appreciate TAUP coming to the table this week with a comprehensive counterproposal, as this allowed us to continue to move negotiations forward,” said Sharon Boyle, vice president for human resources. “We are looking forward to getting more bargaining sessions scheduled over the next several weeks and are optimistic that we can continue to make progress toward a new agreement.” 

The most significant changes from the university’s latest counterproposal compared to the counterproposal proposed on April 10 are related to adjunct faculty members. Under this new proposed agreement, the per-credit minimum for adjunct faculty would be increased by 28% retroactive to July 1, 2023. Specific highlights related from the proposal related to adjunct faculty members include the following. 

• With the 28% increase, the per-credit minimum for adjunct faculty would increase from $1,600 to $2,050, 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. 
• Most courses taught by adjunct faculty are three-credit courses. Under the current agreement, adjunct faculty receive a minimum of $4,800 per three-credit course. Under the new proposal, they would receive a minimum of $6,150 per three-credit course. 
• Beginning with the fall 2024 semester, the per-credit minimum for adjunct faculty will be increased by $100. It will then be increased by $100 in the following year and then by $50 in each of the two years after that. 
• Adjunct faculty members who have worked for five consecutive years will receive multi-semester appointments. Presently, adjunct contracts are renewed each semester. 

Temple’s latest counterproposal also includes additional salary increases that build off the previous offer. The university’s current proposal includes a minimum of 13% raises over the life of the contract, with those at a lower salary tier receiving the highest increases. Provided they qualify for merit raises, the salary increases will be even higher. These are among the most substantial increases that the university has ever offered to TAUP.  

Under the university’s current proposal, retroactive to July 1, 2023, full-time bargaining unit employees will receive either a 4% or $4,000 raise, the larger number of the two. In addition, there will be an additional 1% merit pool and then 2.25% across the board raises with an additional 1% merit pool in each of the next four years.  

For comparison, in the recently expired agreement between the two parties, TAUP full-time employees received a 7.25% raise across the life of the contract without merit, with 1.625% raises in years one and two and then 2% raises in years three and four.  

TAUP’s previous collective bargaining agreement with the university expired on Oct. 15, 2023. The two parties have been negotiating toward a new agreement since Aug. 18, 2023. 

With negotiations entering the ninth month, the university proposed to TAUP that the two parties schedule full-day negotiation sessions and meet on consecutive days. 

“We hope that we can continue to move negotiations forward and bring them closer to the finish line,” Boyle said. “As we move closer to a new fiscal year, we would really like to reward our hard-working faculty members with retroactive increases, so that is one of the pushes behind getting as many sessions as possible scheduled between now and the end of June.” 

Visit temple.edu/taup-negotiations to view updates regarding the negotiation process.