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Faculty negotiations: Updates

Tuesday, August 31

A tentative agreement has been announced.

Monday, August 30

Both bargaining teams continued to exchange proposals. Negotiations resume Tuesday, August 31.

Sunday, August 29

  • Both bargaining teams prepared and exchanged counter-proposals.
  • The administration increased from $300 to $500 its one-time addition to base to help offset increases in faculty health care contributions.
  • The union dropped its across-the-board raise demand to 3.75 percent for each of the three years.
  • Agreement was reached on several important items with the health care plan design. Both teams continue to work on the actual dollar amounts of premium sharing. Agreement was reached on pharmacy co-pay levels.
  • The AAUP dropped its demand to have the traditional plan continued through the life of the agreement in exchange for the University's agreement to grant those who move to one of the PPO plans whatever one-time addition to base to help offset increases in faculty health care contributions is agreed upon.
  • The administration offered a marginal increase in dollars for those who teach through EPEO.
  • The union reduced its demand that the university pay full tuition and fees for both undergraduate and graduate classes for dependents.
  • Negotiations resume Monday at 11 a.m.

Saturday, August 28

  • The administration offered a $300 one-time payment to base beginning Jan. 1 to help offset some of the premium increases.
  • The administration and AAUP exchanged proposals, primarily focusing on design of the health care coverage plans.
  • The administration revised its health care proposal, moved on removing deductibles and co-insurance from PPO2, which is in line with comparable universities, and matching AAUP's move yesterday to put premium sharing on PPO1.
  • Two HMO options were introduced to provide further health care coverage options.
  • AAUP moved on accepting more of the health plan design.
  • AAUP proposed $1,000 to those on the Traditional plan for them to move by Jan. 1, 2011, and regardless of whether they move, the plan would be terminated at the end of the contract.
  • The union's overall salary proposal declined slightly.
  • The issue of Full Professor salary adjustment of $5,000, tied to review of standards, remains in discussion.
  • Bargaining resumes tomorrow (Sunday) at noon.

Thursday, August 26

  • Both sides exchanged proposals.
  • AAUP presented a revised salary proposal with modifications that reduced its net offer but with no change in its base salary demand of 3.9%, 4%, and 4.3% increase in each year of the three-year contract.
  • The administration reduced the threshold for qualifying for contingent increases from 2% growth in weighted average of student credit hours and state appropriations to 1%.
  • AAUP presented revised language on the $5,000 Full Professor salary adjustment/evaluation proposal.
  • The administration presented a comprehensive reworking of its health care proposal. This included fixed amounts of premium sharing for both PPO1 (where there is no premium share now) and PPO2.
  • The administration agreed to increase the Medigap allowance from $130 to $150.

Wednesday, August 25

The EMU AAUP proposes more than 12-percent salary increase over next three-year contract

Monday, August 23

  • Active negotiations continued as the administration presented the union with a counter proposal that addressed the aspects of the proposed Full Professor salary adjustment for faculty that have been Full Professors for 10 or more years. Upon meeting evaluation criteria, the Full Professors would receive a proposed salary increase of $4,500.
  • The proposal also dealt with language regarding current compensation amounts for courses taught through extended programs, educational outreach and overloads.
  • The administration agreed to extend to those who retired before 2000 the same death benefit as in the current contract.
  • Bargaining continues amid an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding of the crucial issues involved. The focus remains on doing the best we can for our students.

Tuesday, August 17

  • We are making progress in working through many important issues. Tentative agreements have been reached on several items, primarily related to internal operations and processes.
  • We are now reaching the more complex issues of salary and healthcare, which will be the primary focus of negotiations moving forward.
  • Given the dramatic increase in healthcare costs in recent years, as well as continued cuts in state funding, these issues have become even more complex. We are working collaboratively to identify strategies to address these issues while at the same time providing a foundation that provides the support and recognition our outstanding faculty and staff deserves.
  • Eastern's annual healthcare costs increased from $15.7 million in 2008 to $18.1 million in 2009, a 15 percent increase. The new national Health Care Reform plan will add considerably to those costs. Required coverage has been expanded to include adult children up to 26 years old regardless of dependency status, and we cannot charge separate for adult rider coverage – those costs now have to be included in our plan. Also, as of January next year, we are required to expand preventative care services without cost sharing, co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance.
  • These issues are major factors as we work collaboratively to address issues that will impact the overall health, stability and success of Eastern and our faculty and staff for years to come.
  • We remain focused on positive collaboration and a mutually beneficial outcome to the negotiations.
  • We will continue to provide ongoing updates as warranted at www.emich.edu/negotiations/.

Wednesday, August 4

  • We are making progress in working through many important issues. Collective bargaining is a complex and important process. We are collaboratively addressing issues that will impact the overall health, stability and success of Eastern and our faculty for years to come.
  • We are fortunate to have outstanding faculty here at Eastern, and we have great respect for their partnership in our overall success. The bargaining teams are working through the negotiation process with mutual respect
    for each other's perspectives.
  • We are pleased that this collaboration has resulted in tentative agreements (TAs) in several important areas.
  • The rising cost and changing landscape of health care due to the Health Care Reform Act will be major issues for both teams to address. The University team presented an initial overview of the changing landscape of healthcare costs related to the new national healthcare policy. This will provide the foundation for further discussions on this important area of negotiations as we move forward.
  • We remain focused on positive collaboration and a mutually beneficial outcome to the negotiations. We will continue to provide ongoing updates as warranted at this website (emich.edu/negotiations/faculty)

May 2010

  • We had an opening session on May 17 during which the union and university shared a list of subjects they were planning to address in bargaining. We discussed ground rules for bargaining. We met again on May 19 and came to agreement on the ground rules. We also tentatively agreed to two housekeeping proposals passed by the union.
  • President Martin hosted an informal, get-acquainted barbeque at University House May 13.
  • We have agreed to the following schedule for bargaining:
    M/W 10 a.m. - 4p.m. No negotiations on June 28, 30 and July 5, 7