TO: Board of Regents

FROM: Sue Hill, Director, Labor Relations and Personnel

RE: Approval of Tentative Agreement with Montana District Council of Laborers

DATE: September 27-28, 2001

 

Attached is a summary of the tentative agreement with the Montana District Council of Laborers. The summary only includes those sections of the agreement that were modified during this round of negotiations. The entire collective bargaining agreement is available for review on line at: https://mus.edu/hr/cba/collbarg.html. The tentative agreement covers approximately 130 employees performing custodial, food service and maintenance duties at The University of Montana-Missoula, Montana State University-Bozeman, and Montana State University-Billings.

Employees in this bargaining unit were given the option on a campus-by-campus basis of adopting the Montana Achievement Project (MAP) or staying with the state classification and pay plan. Where employees opt for MAP they will receive the same pay increases provided for under the settlement with MPEA: a 4% salary increase on November 1, 2001; .5% Achievement Pay on November 1, 2002, for employees who have met their performance goals; the greater of $700.00 or 3.75% on November 1, 2002; and .5% Achievement Pay on June 1, 2003, for employees who have met their performance goals. Effective January 1, 2002, employees under MAP are eligible for other forms of optional pay increases outlined in the MAP guide such as lump sum awards. Where employees opt to remain on the state classification and pay plan they will receive a 4% increase on November 1, 2001; and the greater of 4% or 34 cents an hour on November 1, 2002. It is expected that the employees at The University of Montana-Missoula will choose to adopt MAP and employees at Montana State University-Bozeman and Montana State University-Billings will choose to continue with the state classification and pay plan.

All of the language changes that were agreed upon in this round of negotiations were initiated by the employer with the exception of the memorandum of understanding that includes a commitment to a meeting at MSU-Bozeman to discuss safety issues (paragraph 12 of the attached summary). Most of the language changes are not very substantive. The most substantive change was in the section dealing with warning letters (paragraph 8 of the attached summary). Under the prior agreement all warning letters must be removed from employees personnel files after 6 months, or 1 year in unusual circumstances. Under the new provision the first warning letter is removed after 1 year unless there are repeated offenses or insufficient progress. Subsequent warning letters may remain in an employee s personnel file indefinitely.

The bargaining unit is expected to ratify the tentative agreement prior to September 27. Subject to bargaining unit ratification, I recommend approval of the tentative agreement with the Montana District Council of Laborers.

 

xc: Chancellor Sexton
 President Dennison
President Gamble
Commissioner Crofts