EMU-AAUP 2006 Contract Negotiations

Frequently Asked Questions

I) General Questions about EMU-AAUP

• Why do we need a union?

 

The EMU Chapter of the American Association of University Professors EMU-AAUP), like all AAUP chapters, "exists to advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good." In conjunction with the university administration, the EMU-AAUP has developed a contract with the university that makes possible a fair and uniform way of establishing and defending academic freedom, salaries and benefits, working conditions, criteria for tenure and promotions, and a great deal more. This contract spells out a common structure and ground rules that help maintain you as a member of a collegial community of professional teachers and scholars at EMU.

• What do I get from being a member of the EMU-AAUP?

 

As the faculty's union, the EMU-AAUP monitors and advocates for you on the rules of professional faculty conduct that govern us at EMU. The union helps to insure that all faculty are assessed fairly and by a common set of rules. These rules govern such important procedures and concerns as:

 

• academic freedom, both within and outside of the classroom
• tenure and promotion, and the criteria used to assess faculty performance
• salary and benefits, including healthcare and retirement
• the condition of classrooms, labs, offices, and other work environments
• faculty workload in the areas of instruction, scholarly and creative activity, and service
• participation in shared governance, and faculty input into important university decisions
• sabbatical leaves and research fellowships

 

The union is your safeguard in all of these areas, and is willing to consult and, if necessary, stand with you anytime you need support in the conduct of your professional responsibilities.

 

• If I have questions, how can I get them answered?

Each academic department has an EMU-AAUP steward who should be able to answer most questions, or be able to refer you to someone who can help. If you do not know who your steward is, consult the EMU-AAUP web site listed below.

You may also stop by or contact the EMU-AAUP office located in Depot Town at:

33B East Cross Street

Ypsilanti, MI 48198

Phone: (734) 487-1070 Fax: (734) 482-7540

Office Manager: Julie Berger E-mail: jberger1@emich.edu

During the regular academic year, the union has meetings on a monthly basis. These meetings are announced via the e-mail address you have on file with the EMU-AAUP office. If you have not been getting e-mails from the union, you should contact the office to make sure your contact information is correct

You can also check the EMU-AAUP website at:

http://www.emu-aaup.org/

• I pay my dues. Isn't this enough? Can't the union take it from there?

No. The EMU-AAUP is governed by its faculty at regular chapter meetings and by its elected members of the Executive Committee. The union is dependent upon the voluntary efforts of all faculty to voice their concerns at meetings, serve on committees, and to keep the officers and Executive Committee informed as to what issues of importance are happening across campus. Without this broad-based support, the EMU-AAUP would not be able to function effectively in its efforts on behalf of faculty, students, and the university.

 

• What is the union's website address?

The EMU-AAUP web address is:

http://www.emu-aaup.org/

Here you can find information about the current contract, campus issues, messages from the union president, and get the most recent information about negotiations.

 

The national AAUP website address is:

http://www.aaup.org/

Here you will find general information about various AAUP activities, initiatives, and efforts on behalf of faculty across the country.

II) General Questions about the Contract

• Where do I find a copy of the current contract?

Every faculty member should have received a printed copy of the contract via campus mail in 2004, or in your new faculty orientation materials. You can also download a copy from the Academic Human Resources website at:

http://www.emich.edu/public/aa/ahr/

or from the EMU-AAUP website:

http://www.emu-aaup.org/

• When does our contract expire?

The current contract has been in effect since September 1, 2004, and will expire at midnight on August 31, 2006.

• Who decides to accept a new contract?

Ultimately it is the collective faculty, through a process of ratification, that decides to accept the conditions of a new contract. A negotiating team meets with representatives from university administration to work out the details of a new contract. This team makes their recommendation on a potentially agreeable contract to the union's Bargaining Council and the EMU-AAUP Executive Committee who, in turn, make their recommendation to the general membership.

• How is a new contract ratified?

Once a new contract has been recommended by the negotiating team and Bargaining Council, it is put before the entire faculty for approval. A general membership meeting is called, the agreed-upon issues (along with any issues for which there was no agreement) are presented to the faculty, questions are answered, and a ratification vote is scheduled. The decision to ratify is up to the whole EMU-AAUP faculty. A new contract does not come into play until the majority of faculty agree to its terms via a secret ballot process.

III) The Negotiations Process

• What are these negotiations about?

Contract negotiations are always about a variety of issues, including economic concerns such as cost of living increases, benefits such as health care and retirement, the condition of classrooms and other facilities, workload, and many other issues. The aim is to provide the working conditions and faculty support that will permit EMU to attract the best faculty possible, and that will help faculty provide students with the quality education they expect and deserve.

• How are the negotiations handled?

Prior to the end of the current contract, a team consisting of EMU-AAUP faculty members is selected to meet with negotiators from the EMU administration. These two teams discuss the various issues and attempt to work out a consensus agreement that addresses most, if not all of the concerns form both sides.

• Who are our faculty representatives on the Negotiating Team for our union, the EMU-AAUP?

Mike Homel heads the 2006 EMU-AAUP negotiating team. Others on the team include David Crary, Susan Moeller, John Texter, and Michael Williams. The alternates are Howard Bunsis, Caroline Gould, Paul Leighton, Elaine Martin, and Ken Rusiniak. All are current faculty members who have received training from the national AAUP, and some have been involved in previous EMU faculty contract negotiations.

• Who is negotiating for the administration?

Hartmut Hoft heads the EMU administration negotiating team. Others on the team are Sue Kattelus, Jackie Tracy, Tom Venner, and Dykema Gossett attorney James Greene. Alternates are Dennis Beagan, David Mielke, and Robert Neely.

• How long have these negotiations been going on?

Negotiations began on June 9th, and the teams have been meeting regularly since then to discuss procedures and substantive contract issues. Mike Homel keeps a log of what happens at these meetings. For the latest updates see: http://www.emu-aaup.org/newcontract.html

• How do I stay up-to-date on the progress of the negotiations?

• Come to the EMU-AAUP membership meetings and special events. Several will be scheduled through the summer.
• Read your e-mail from the EMU-AAUP. The Executive Committee will be doing their job to make sure you have the reliable information you need.
• Check the EMU-AAUP website (www.emu-aaup.org) for updates on negotiations, upcoming events and meetings, and general announcements.
• Make sure your contact information is correct with your department representative or steward.
• Contact the EMU-AAUP office at (734) 487-1070 if none of the above works for you.

IV) The Bargaining Council and Proposals

• How do our faculty negotiators know what to do?

The faculty negotiating team has been trained in academic labor negotiations by experts from the national AAUP, and several have experience from prior contract negotiations. This team has been carefully selected by the EMU-AAUP Executive Committee. This team receives advice and instructions from the Executive Committee and from the Bargaining Council.

• Where do the negotiators representing me get their proposals?

Last winter the Bargaining Council and EMU-AAUP polled the entire faculty as to how they felt about various contract-related issues. Based on this input, specific proposals to modify, amend, and update the contract have been prepared by various Bargaining Council committees. These committees have carefully crafted contract language that addresses the areas of faculty concern. The proposed new contract language has been reviewed and approved by the entire Bargaining Council, which then makes these proposals available to the negotiating team for discussion with EMU administration team.

• What is the Bargaining Council?

The Bargaining Council is a representative body of the EMU-AAUP that is formed to develop contract proposals and provide leadership going into the contract negotiation process. The Bargaining Council has been selected by the faculty of each academic department, and has proportional representation from each department. The Council has been meeting since last Fall Semester to discuss various work-related issues and to poll the entire faculty on their concerns.

• When will I get to know the proposals?

To preserve the integrity of the collective bargaining process, the specifics of each proposal are known only to the Bargaining Council and the negotiation team. These proposals are presented to EMU administration at the bargaining table. Once presented and discussed at the table, the negotiating team with make the specific issues available to the faculty. The best way to find out about the proposals is to attend the various EMU-AAUP events that will be held throughout the summer. Members may also consult the EMU-AAUP website (www.emu-aaup.org) for information about proposals and counter-proposals as they are brought to the bargaining table.

• Who decides which proposals to accept?

It is up to the negotiating team to decide which proposals to put forth, and in what order. This is done with input from the Bargaining Council and the Executive Committees. Faculty input is also taken into consideration during the course of the negotiations. The best way to get your voice heard is to attend the various meetings and other events that the EMU-AAUP will be holding over the summer to discuss the progress of contract negotiations.

V) Contingencies

• What if administration is unwilling to reach a compromise with our union?

This has never happened since the EMU-AAUP was formed in 1974. Since that time EMU faculty have not worked without a contract. Occasionally, there have been "job actions" by the EMU-AAUP, carefully orchestrated to send a message to administration that we take our jobs and conditions of employment seriously, and that we want a fair contract. Job actions can include rallies, informational picketing to inform all stakeholders about the negotiation, or even a strike.

 

Keep in mind, however, that any form of work stoppage is considered as last resort by the EMU-AAUP, brought into play only after the current contract has ended and the negotiating team has determined that movement towards a new contract is at an impasse. Before a strike can happen, the executive committee must first ask the faculty for a vote authorizing a strike. If this happens, faculty will be asked to a meeting where they will be informed about the issues and the impasse, can ask questions and voice concerns, and then a vote is taken to authorize a strike action. This authorization does not mean that a strike will happen, but the authorization can encourage negotiations. It is up to the executive committee to decide how best to use a strike authorization.

• If a strike is called, how will I find out?

A representative for each department has been given a contact list of all faculty in the department. This faculty member should have contacted you over the spring or summer to verify that the contact information is correct. If you have not been contacted, you may want to get in touch with the EMU-AAUP office (phone: 734/487-1070) to verify that your information is correct.

If a strike is called, you will be contacted by your department representative via phone and/or e-mail regarding what you should do. You can also check the EMU-AAUP website (http://www.emu-aaup.org/) for current information. As a last resort, you may check the local media, but keep in mind that media stories may come from administrative press releases that have a particular point of view.