TO: Board of Regents

FROM: Sue I. Hill, Director Labor Relations and Personnel

RE: Approval of Tentative Agreement with Butte Teamsters Local 2

DATE: September 27-28, 2001

 

Attached is a summary of the tentative agreement reached with Butte Teamsters Local 2. The Teamsters Union represents approximately 100 food service, maintenance and custodial employees at Montana State University-Bozeman. The attached summary only includes the sections of the collective bargaining agreement that were modified during this round of negotiations. The entire collective bargaining agreement is available for review at: https://mus.edu/hr/cba/collbarg.html.

The major topic in negotiations with the Teamsters was wages. This bargaining unit chose not to implement the Montana Achievement Project (MAP). Employees in this bargaining unit will continue to be covered by the state classification and pay plan. Under the tentative agreement wages will increase on November 1, 2002 by 4 percent. In FY 2003, wages will increase by the better of 4 percent or 34 cents, effective November 1st. The increase in the employer contribution to health insurance will be in accordance with state statute (an increase of $30.00 in FY 2002 and $41.00 in FY 2003).

The language defining the length of the probationary period was modified to clarify that time served in a temporary position does not count toward meeting the probationary period. New language was added to the contract that details employees ethical obligations under the state s conflict of interest statutes. The length of time that employees may be on a leave without pay without modifying their seniority date was changed from fifteen to thirty consecutive days. The grievance procedure was modified to include a specific deadline for the union to initiate a request for arbitration. In response to a concern raised by the union, we agreed to call out custodians on a rotating and seniority basis as long as the employee has indicated an advance interest in call outs and is qualified and available.

The most substantive contract language change involved the provision governing warning notices. Under the prior agreement, warning letters are typically removed from an employee s personnel file after six months. The new agreement requires the removal of the first warning letter after one year of good conduct and allows any subsequent warning letter to remain in an employee s personnel file indefinitely. Since we are required to give employees at least one warning letter prior to discharge for all but the most serious infractions, this issue was a top priority in this round of negotiations.

The bargaining unit is expected to ratify the tentative agreement before September 27th or this item will be withdrawn. I recommend approval of the tentative agreement with the Butte Teamsters Local 2.

 

xc: Commissioner Crofts

President Gamble