We know that recent federal government policy announcements—including those around NIH research funding, transgender rights, immigration and citizenship, DEI programming, and other potential policy changes to come—are causing anxiety and uncertainty among many HUCTW members. We want to assure you that HUCTW leaders are committed to advocating for and supporting all of our members—regardless of what policy changes lie ahead.…
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This year's end-of-year newsletter puts a spotlight on all the HUCTW-negotiated education benefits available to members, including: the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for Harvard classes, the Tuition Reimbursement Program (TRP) for non-Harvard classes, the Education Fund for non-Harvard learning, and TAP Tax Reimbursement Program for TAP associated tax costs, as well as contract language supporting time off for learning. The newsletter also lists upcoming dates and deadlines, the time reporting instructions for the winter recess and holidays, and the annual minimum dues changes mandated by our parent union, AFSCME.…
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Thank you to the 2378 members who took the Spring 2024 HUCTW Flexibility Survey! The data and stories collected in this survey allow us to better understand how our members experience and access flexibility in their jobs and to identify which areas need more attention. We will be sending out similar surveys in the future, which will inform our work with members on a day-to-day basis, as well as help us prepare for future policy work and contract negotiations. Click "Read More" for a summary of some key data and quotes from the Spring 2024 survey.…
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Over the last several years, many HUCTW members discovered the benefits of remote work, including increased productivity, better work/life balance, and less time commuting. Even before the the rise in remote work, several thousand HUCTW members had neogitated other types of flexible work schedules, like modified daily work hours or compressed work weeks, or ad-hoc flexiblity.…
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You can use our downloadable Excel calculator to determine your HUCTW salary increases for July 1, 2024. You will need to fill in the four blue fields in at the top of the Excel calculator, indicating your current annual salary, salary grade, hours in your regular weekly schedule, and approximate length of service. If the calculator doesn't open when you click on the link, it should appear in your “Downloads” folder.…
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HUCTW grows increasingly concerned about Harvard administrators’ responses or potential responses to protestors taking part in the encampment in Harvard Yard. HUCTW and Harvard have worked through many complex issues together, even in the face of strong disagreements, with open and honest dialogue, and we urge Harvard administrators to take the same approach to address campus protestors and the encampment.…
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We are writing to let you know about two exciting changes that you may not have heard about that will affect many HUCTW commuters – the first is significant cost reduction for most 5-day unreserved Harvard parking permits, and the second is cost reduction for all MBTA passes.…
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March 31, 2024 is an important deadline for three reimbursement programs open to HUCTW members: (1) Copay Reimbursement (2) Fitness Reimbursement (3) Dependent Care & Healthcare FSA Reimbursement. These programs assist members with expenses incurred during the previous (2023) calendar year. Please see more details on each program below.…
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Harvard and HUCTW have longstanding contract language that supports remote work and flex schedule arrangements, and we recently added new, stronger language in our last round of negotiations--all of which may be useful in your discussions with your supervisor around remote/hybrid work. A key theme of the contract language is the idea that flexible work requests (including remote work requests) cannot be unreasonably denied. We’ve shared some key excerpts from the contract here. If you would like advice about making a remote work proposal or if you have made a proposal and it’s been rejected, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a confidential conversation.…
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Many HUCTW members took on substantial additional work during the pandemic, covering for coworkers who left Harvard whose positions were never filled. Union members who take on substantial additional work on top of their regular job duties should be paid for that work, and our Harvard-HUCTW Contract contains longstanding language that supports this idea. HUCTW organizers know that it can be challenging for you initiate this kind of conversation with your manager, but we can help. All conversations are confidential.…
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