Office Professionals start voting on new proposed contract
Members of the Office Professionals Union could have a new contract this week.
Members met to discuss the tentative agreement made between Central Michigan University and the union Tuesday.
“There isn’t an outcome,” said Kevin Smart, director of employee relations and human resources technology. “I really can’t discuss the details.”
Members can vote today and results are expected in the afternoon.
Karen Bellingar, president of Office Professionals and executive secretary of the school of engineering and technology, doesn’t expect members to ratify the tentative agreement.
She said the tentative agreement was presented as a final offer rather than an indefinite offer.
“Based on the meeting, they were in favor of voting it down,” Bellingar said. “It wasn’t agreed upon by (the Office Professional’s) bargaining unit.”
Smart said if the tentative agreement is not ratified, CMU administration and the Office Professional’s bargaining unit will begin to bargain again.
“We’ll get (the contracts) settled,” Smart said.
Other unions
Out of the seven unions on campus, three are currently in negotiations with CMU administration since their contracts expired June 30.
The Supervisory/Technical union began bargaining in March and have been meeting and discussing since then.
The Broadcasting Union ratified a contract at the end of May.
Smart said they accepted a flat pay rate for 2010-2011. Their contract will begin July 1 and will expire June 30, 2013.
“In addition to the zero increase on wages, the union agreed to freeze health care contributions from the university,” Smart said.
Currently, the university pays 92 percent of the cost of health care premiums, he said.
Smart said the university is holding off on increase in wages because of budget issues.
“The major objective is to look for opportunities to moderate increasing cost of operations,” Smart said. “We’re a labor intensive business.”
The Police Union will be entering the third year of their contract.
Smart said there is a scheduled increase of three percent in wages per their contract. The contract expires June 30, 2011.
Maintenance and Custodial Service Union’s contract will also expire June 30, 2011.
Smart said Custodial Service Union members will receive an increase of two and a half percent in wages as their contract continues into its third and final year.
