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CMU-FA Fact Finding Results

on November 3, 2011 3:13 PM

By Amanda Harrison

This Friday contract negotiations will resume between the CMU Faculty Association and the Administration after a fact finding report was released.

The report reviewed several key issues, including salary adjustments and health care benefits.

Ruthanne Okun is the director of the Michigan Employment Relations Commission, she deals with fact finding cases.

Okun said fact finding is successful because a third party is able to look at the case objectively and give insight to both sides. This helps both parties compromise.

"Then they're able to say see another person who has looked at this reasonably is able to say that in fact our position is not reasonable, or is reasonable, or we should settle on these terms. And because we're dealing with public officials who are so affected by public pressure and public opinion that the fact finding process is often able to resolve the situation in the end."

Okun said she believes appointing a fact finder was beneficial. And she said she hopes Fridays negotiations will continue to be productive.

Faculty and CMU fact finding

CMU Public Radio Newswires

on September 7, 2011 1:22 PM

Faculty at Central Michigan University have been without a contract since June 30 for the first time in school history. The agreement in place was allowed to expire without extension.

Bargaining teams for the administration and the faculty association begin the fact finding process today in hopes of coming to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement.

On July 14^th, the university and faculty association petitioned for fact finding through the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. Barry Goldman will serve as the appointed fact finder.

Since then, there has been no formal bargaining. FA President Laura Frey said the union has and does prefer to be at the table...

Robert Vercruysee is the Employment and Labor Relations Council for CMU he will present the university's case at the hearings. He said there was a breakdown in communication that led to a delay in moving forward with the fact finding process...

Vercruysee adds that the fact finder tried to schedule pre hearing conferences, but, in his words the faculty was not available.

Laura Frey said in her view, the process has been hurried along by the university in an attempt to move negotiations away from formal bargaining talks...

The fact finding process is not binding. Both sides acknowledged this as we sat down for interviews for this story, but there are at this point differing interpretations as to what will happen as the process continues.

Robert Vercruysee said the law did not give public employees the right to strike, but did grant the right to mediation and fact finding. He said the report coming from the fact finder is, in effect, the basis for a new collective bargaining agreement or contract...

Laura Frey believes the report is meant to render a perspective on the case made by both sides. But further, bring both sides back into formal discussions toward a new contract. She said, that was made clear to her by the Judge Paul Chamberlain's ruling on August 26^th...

The FA president believes in her side's case as does the university, as both sides enter the fact finding process. Laura Frey's concern is with the potential outcome, her belief that CMU plans to at some point impose a contract on the faculty. She said, based on the terms as of July 14^th when talks broke off between the two sides...

Robert Vercruysee maintains his position in representing the university that this fact finding process will lead to a fair and equitable deal for both sides...

Three fact finding sessions have been scheduled. One additional session date has been set aside for Wednesday, September 14^th.

CMU faculty and Administration are in court

CMU Public Radio Newswires

on August 24, 2011 12:26 PM

Faculty at CMU were in the classroom yesterday after a walk-out Monday when the union declared a full work stoppage.

Instructors were ordered back to the classroom when a judge filed a temporary restraining order Monday afternoon.

Now the faculty and the university are likely preparing for a number of pending actions.

Both sides will be in court Friday as the judge that ordered faculty back to work will hear arguments for and against a permanent injunction ending the strike.
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Then on September 7, both sides will present their cases to a fact finder. He'll examine the evidence and make a non-binding recommendation on how negotiations may proceed.

And at some point, officials say, in the near future, the two sides will appear before the Michigan Employment Relations Commission the M.E.R.C to discuss the legality of the walk-out.

Ruth Ann Okun is director of the MERC.

She said there is a narrow parameter that may make the work-stoppage legal.

"In general strikes by public employees are illegal, that's always been the case. But there was some language in, I believe it was, a court of appeals case some time ago that left a little bit of a door open as to whether striking in protest of an unfair labor practice, whether in face that was illegal."

There were no new talks yesterday in the faculty dispute, but also no new pickets or protests.

Again, the next scheduled activity will be the circuit court appearance on Friday.

CMU professors on job action may or may not be legal

CMU Public Radio Newswires

on August 22, 2011 11:42 AM

Central Michigan University professors walked off the job last night just hours before the start of the fall semester.

As Mike Horace reports, university administrators said progress was made on non-economic issues over the last few days, but the two sides remain far apart when it comes to compensation and benefits.

That was the scene last as some 600 tenure-track faculty members walked off the job.

Laura Frey is the faculty union president.

"We are on an association approved, legal job action, full work stoppage." Said Frey.

University spokesman Steve Smith disagrees about the legality of work stoppage. He said the university will take the union to court this morning.

"Strikes by public employees over economic issues are illegal under Michigan law, and that is why we will seek an injunction in Isabella County to get the faculty back in the classroom."

Smith said the two sides had made progress on non-economic issues in recent days something the union has not confirmed.

Students are being told to report to class this morning.

CMU student reactions to faculty job action

CMU Public Radio Newswires

on August 22, 2011 11:08 AM

Around the campus of CMU, students have mixed feelings about the work stoppage.

Some are excited about the possibility of having no class, while others are worried that they may go to class this morning and have no teacher.

CMU students are gearing up for their first day of class today. But a lot of students are uncertain now of how the day will pan out. Some are debating if they'll even go to class.

Laneer Turner is a sophomore from Detroit. He said he's still undecided.

"I think it would be a waste of time to go to class and to find no teacher there, but it might be appropriate to get up and go. I think we're the ones who are really getting hurt here, because we're not getting the education that we're paying for and that we deserve."

Other students like Detroit Sophomore Jacob Carter said they're taking no chances.

He said the fact that only tenured faculty are striking may be confusing to students in terms of which classes they should attend.

"I mean it's just like you go to class, you might not have it, but we want you to go anyway. I mean I'll go just to be on the safe side."

Some students are also saying that they want a tuition refund for any class time they may miss due to the faculty walk out.

CMU faculty walks off the job

Mike Horace

on August 21, 2011 9:19 PM

The Central Michigan University Faculty Association declared a full work stoppage this evening, hours before the start of fall classes. The University says it's going to court tomorrow morning seeking an injunction ordering the faculty back to class.
CMU says the faculty walk out is illegal, because Michigan law prohibits public employees from striking over economic issues.

The union has been without a contract since June 30.

CMU Public Radio's Mike Horace and Amy Robinson report...

CMU-Faculty negotiations continue

Mike Horace

on August 19, 2011 10:32 AM

A state mediator will arrive on the campus of CMU this morning to oversee negotiations between the University and its faculty union.

Bargaining teams from both sides met yesterday for about 90-minutes. It was the third bargaining session this week. Classes are scheduled to start on Monday.

Faculty members launched informational pickets on campus yesterday as student were returning for the fall semester.

Dozens of professors held signs and passed out fliers on campus, as students started moving back into the dorms.

Tim Connors is the former president of the faculty association. He said little progress has been made in negotiations, but he is optimistic.

"I'm always optimistic, I'm a half full kind of guy. And so I'm hoping that there will be progress. I want to teach on Monday. I want to be in my classes. I love my students."

The union has already authorized its bargaining team to declare a work action up to and including a strike. MU Provost Gary Shapiro hopes it won't come to that.

"I'm confident that they'll be in our classrooms on Monday, our students will begin learning, and we'll continue to work this out for a mutually satisfactory agreement."

The start of classes should become more clear Sunday night, when a meeting of all faculty union members is planned.

CMU and faculty negotiate for the third time this week

CMU Public Radio Newswires

on August 18, 2011 9:07 AM

Negotiations will continue today; the threat of a strike, still alive; as Central Michigan University will meet again with its faculty union.

Union President Laura Frey said although there are a number of issues on the table, university finances continue to be a point of contention.

"Central Michigan University is financially flourishing, at least 228-million in unrestricted surplus assets, a fund equity balance that continues to increase, total assets have continued to increase. It is extremely frustrating to me that the administration has the money to pay all employee groups a fair, comparable salaries, give them increases and has chosen not to do that. That's the stress to watch an administration disrespect faculty, disrespect employees"

University spokesman Steve Smith said CMU is interested in reaching an agreement with its faculty, but has some real financial challenges to address as well.

"I think it's important to point out that CMU took a $12-million cut in appropriations from the state of Michigan this year. It puts us back at a funding level equal to what we received in 1996 and '97. Economic times remain uncertain and it makes it important that the University continue its fiscally conservative approach. It's important in providing a superior learning environment for our students. We remain committed to working with the Faculty Association to resolve our differences"

Today will be the third day of negotiations since the two sides returned to the bargaining table this week.

On Monday, the faculty union membership voted overwhelmingly to authorize it's bargaining team to call for any job action it deems necessary, up to and including a strike.

Classes are scheduled to start at CMU on Monday.

CMU and faculty still negotiating as the deadline swiftly closes in

Amy Robinson

on August 17, 2011 11:40 AM

With less than a week left until the start of classes, negotiators from CMU and its faculty union are scheduled to return to the bargaining table today at 11:30.

The two sides met yesterday for five hours and, in the words of the union, it was disappointing.

The Faculty union membership voted on Monday to authorize its bargaining team to take any job action it deems necessary, up to and including a strike.

Union spokesman and past president Tim Connors said last night that from where he's sitting, they may not be far from calling for a job action

"This is just me, the bargaining team has not said anything to me about this, so this is, again, I'm speaking for myself. I would imagine if tomorrow's session goes the way that today's apparently did, that I wouldn't at all be surprised to see some kind of activity."

Connors said if an action is called for he doesn't know what type of action it may be
In the meantime. CMU Spokesman Steve Smith had a more positive take on the current negotiating process.

"It's important that we give the collective bargaining process a chance to work. The fact that both sides are returning to the bargaining table should be viewed as a positive sign."

Negotiators are scheduled to return to the bargaining table today at 11:30 in Ronan Hall on the campus of CMU.

CMU and faculty continue to negotiate

CMU Public Radio Newswires

on August 16, 2011 2:01 PM

Contract negotiations between the Central Michigan University and its Faculty Administration may resume as early as today.

This comes after what was largely an unexpected move. Last night, the faculty union voted to give its bargaining team the final decision on any future job action.

The university said last night's union vote was a "positive development" because in addition to empowering the 7-member bargaining team with any and all job action decision, it also formally requested that CMU once again join the union at the bargaining table. CMU said this is the first time since mid July that the faculty requested that negotiations resume.

The union insists that CMU is quote "financially flourishing" and should be able to afford a more generous offer.

But CMU spokesmen Steve Smith said that's not the case.

"Numerous matters still remain unresolved, most significantly is a compensation and benefits package that they have proposed that costs approximately 10 million dollars. This comes on the heels of a 12 million dollar reduction in state appropriations." Said Steve Smith.

However the dollar and cents work out Smith said the good news is the two sides are once again talking. He said negotiations are likely to begin this week; possibly as early as today.

CMU and faculty bargain today, strike still an option

CMU Public Radio Newswires

on August 16, 2011 11:44 AM

After negotiations stalled in July, the Central Michigan Faculty Association voted last night to allow its bargaining team to decide what action the union will take next.

Laura Frey is the president of the union. She said the contract currently offered by the administration would significantly reduce pay and benefits and thus, the quality of the teachers.

She said ultimately students will suffer the most.

"To me the administration has shown to me how little they care about faculty and how little they care about students. I have been stating in interviews since July 14th when the third mediation session ended that our FA bargaining team wants to come back to the table."

A university spokesman is calling last night's vote a "positive development". He said it's the first time since mid July the faculty bargaining team as formally requested that negotiations resume between the two sides.

He said the two sides could meet again this week, perhaps as early as today.

CMU faculty authorizes potential job action; remains on job

Mike Horace

on August 15, 2011 11:10 PM

Central Michigan University professors remain on the job, despite being without a contract since June 30th. But they have authorized a strike at a moment's notice.

Professors are now preparing for the start of the fall semester, but whether they'll be in classrooms on Monday remains to be seen.

The faculty voted Monday night to authorize its bargaining committee to take any action it deems necessary, up to and including a strike.

"We gave them the authority tonight to call a job action," said Tim Conners, immediate past president of the CMU Faculty Association. "Not to call a vote for a job action, Not to say 'is this what you want to do?' We authorized them to say 'it's time to take a job action, and here is the job action we are going to take.'"

The union also made a formal request for the university to return to the bargaining table.

University spokesman Steve Smith called that a "positive development."

"This is the first time since both the university and the faculty association filed for fact finding back in mid-July that the faculty bargaining team has formally requested that both sides resume negotiations," Smith said.

The faculty association is advising its members to prepare for the start of the fall semester, as negotiations between the two sides resume.

Classes are scheduled to begin on Monday.



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