Eastern Michigan University, faculty union far apart in contract talks

Here’s one thing the administration and the faculty union at Eastern Michigan University agree on - the gap between the two of them is pretty wide with less than a week to go before the current contract runs out at the start of the school year.

Here’s what they don’t agree on - how big a raise, if any, the professors should get; how much the professors should pay for their health benefits; and if the pay for professors should be tied to student enrollment numbers in any way.

And while negotiators plan to spend the rest of the week bargaining, the union has already set a meeting for Aug. 31 at noon that could include a strike vote. The contract for the nearly-700 member union expires on Aug. 31. The faculty union voted Wednesday to let its bargaining team use the threat of a strike during talks with the administration.

Striking is a route the faculty has chosen before. In 2006, faculty struck for five days, prompting the canceling of about 50 percent of classes. Instructors and lecturers who do not belong to the professors’ union taught the other 50 percent.

On Wednesday, as about 100 red-shirted faculty marched around the university’s administration building chanting their desire for a “fair contract,” union officials reminded the crowd of that strike and said that although they don’t want a repeat of that, they are willing to strike if necessary.

“The only thing that people in this building understand is you people putting pressure on them,” accounting professor and union treasurer Howard Bunsis told the crowd as he pointed at Welch Hall, the administration building.

The union is asking for a 4 percent raise in the first year, a 4.25 percent raise in the second year and a 4.5 percent raise in year three.

According to a chart put out by the administration, the average base salary for a professor is $76,096, while the average income actually paid out as reported on the 2009 W-2's was $87,880 (that includes any extra assignment pay). For administrators the average base salary was $90,478, while the average income actually paid out as reported on the 2009 W-2's for administrators was $84,080.

EMU is offering much-lower raises - no pay increases the first year, a 1 percent raise the second year and a 1 percent raise the third year. In addition, the administration's offer includes a possible 1 percent raise each year if a formula that relies on student enrollment and state appropriation is met.

The administration also proposes to include a provision that would pay a $5,000 salary increase to those who have been full professors for 10 or more years if they undergo an evaluation and meet various criteria.

The union has, so far, rejected the added bonus tied to student enrollment and state funding.

‘We don’t have any control over either of those,” said union president Susan Moeller, pointing out no other peer institutions have a similar program.

Kraft said that’s because EMU is trying an innovative program that rewards the faculty as the university gains.

Differing views

As she marched, Robin Lucy wore her red union shirt and held a sign exhorting the administration to spend more on professors and less on the football program that was winless last year.

“I think the offer (from the administration) was insulting and unfair,” the English Department member said. “We work hard and support our students.

“They are asking us to take a significant pay cut, when the health benefits are counted in. That’s not valuing our work.”

Administrators disagree.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES PAY CUT FOR FACULTY

Current contract ends Aug. 31

Ypsilanti, Mich., Aug. 25, 2010 – In the final countdown to the current contract expiring at midnight on Aug. 31, the administration of Eastern Michigan University now has proposed to the EMU-AAUP (the Eastern Michigan Chapter of the American Association of University Professors) a three-year contract that greatly increases health care costs and represents an overall pay cut for faculty. The EMU-AAUP is the bargaining agent for the full-time tenure track faculty at Eastern Michigan University.

This afternoon, the EMU-AAUP held a rally of support for a fair faculty contract. The faculty also voted enthusiastically and unanimously to allow the faculty’s negotiating team to use the threat of a strike at the negotiating table.

“We went into negotiations with the administration in good faith and with optimism that we could reach a fair contract,” said Susan Moeller, EMU-AAUP President. “It is clear the administration is not interested in working towards finalizing a fair contract while we continue to work diligently towards that end. Since negotiations began in May, we have lowered our original across-the-board offer. However, the administration has not increased its offer at all.”

According to Moeller, health care has become “a huge stumbling block” in negotiations.

“Providing accessible health care to faculty should be a priority for the university,” said Moeller. “The administration is talking in terms of the percentage faculty will pay for health care. The number is a moving target during the years of the contract proposed by administration.”

Howard Bunsis, accounting professor at EMU specializing in non-profit accounting, explained how the health care costs proposed by the administration would negatively impact the faculty.

“Under the terms proposed by the administration,” said Bunsis, “a faculty family with two children would pay three to four times more for health care each year. Simply put, this is outrageous and unreasonable.”

“I don’t know how many of our faculty members can afford these increased costs proposed by the administration,” said Bunsis. “These increases are too large, and any additional out-of-pocket health care costs imposed by the administration need to be offset by salary increases.”

Moeller remarked about the administration, “They want us to share the risk and pay all of this money for health care without salary increases. How is our faculty supposed to afford huge health care costs, put food on the table and pay for a roof over their heads without salary increases? The proposal from the administration is unconscionable.”

Enrollment remains a strong source of revenue for the university. Current projections from the university are that enrollment will increase 3 percent for 2010-11, which translates to $5 million additional dollars for EMU. Bunsis projects that EMU will remain in strong financial condition.

Moeller added, “Our negotiations with administration thus far have been left us disappointed and disillusioned. The administration’s priorities obviously do not match those of our faculty: putting students first.”

In the administration’s salary proposal, the total dollars spent on faculty salaries will decline in each year of the contract. At the same time, total revenues of the university are increasing, as are administration salaries and budgets mainly devoted to athletics.

“The administration is directing funds to support athletics instead of the university’s core academic mission,” said Moeller referring to such significant investments as the $3.9 million indoor sports practice facility recently constructed, as well as substantial increases in dollars spent on the school’s football program.

“The administration is also generous with its own salaries. They certainly pay themselves a lot,” said Moeller referring to the 8 percent average increase received by administration in 2010.

“At EMU, the faculty is the students’ biggest supporters. By investing in the professors, the university can ensure that ‘education first’ is a reality, not just a slogan,” stated Moeller.

“Our professors already are lower paid than our peers,” said Moeller. “Factoring in higher health care costs, what the EMU administration is proposing will cause hardship for many of our members.”

“The educational standing of this institution depends — in great part — upon the tenured faculty members who enrich it with their expertise, research, innovative teaching and accessibility,” added Moeller. “The state of Michigan needs an educated work force to move forward, and our university must invest in the core academic mission to achieve this goal.”

To schedule an interview with Susan Moeller, please contact Leslie Pardo, 248-855-6777 (office) or 248-563-7213 (cell); or Robyn Gorell, 248-855-6777 (office) or 248-229-3669 (cell).