TO:  Board of Regents

FROM:  Sue Hill, Director, Labor Relations and Personnel

RE:  Approval of Tentative Agreement with AFSCME Local 2235, Montana State University-Northern

DATE:   January 17-18, 2001

Attached is a summary of the tentative agreement reached with AFSCME Local 2235. The summary only includes those sections of the agreement that were modified during this round of negotiations. The entire collective bargaining agreement is available on line at: www.mus.edu/hr/cba/collbarg.html.  AFSCME Local 2235 represents approximately 61 employees at Montana State University-Northern. The bargaining unit will have ratified the tentative agreement prior to the Regent meeting or this item will be withdrawn.

The tentative agreement provides for implementation of the Montana Achievement Project (MAP) effective July 1, 2002, six months later than with other bargaining units. Employees receive a 4% salary increase on November 1, 2001. Effective November 1, 2002, employees will receive the greater of a 4% or 34 cent per hour increase. On June 1, 2003, employees will be eligible for .5% Achievement Pay in accordance with the Performance Development Cycle which commences on approximately July 1, 2002 and ends on May 31, 2003. Effective November 1, 2002, in addition to the above described salary increases, employees will be eligible for additional forms of pay increases such as lump sum awards, strategic pay and progression pay. A pay exception of 30 cents per hour was implemented several bienna ago and will continue for employees within the following job titles: Maintenance Plumber, Equipment Mechanic, Painter Journeyman, Maintenance Carpenter, and Electrician Journeyman. Custodians will receive a 15 cent per hour increase effective on the first day of the pay period following bargaining unit ratification of the collective bargaining agreement and another 20 cent per hour increase on November 1, 2002. Both of these pay exceptions are in addition to the increases described previously.

Language changes that are a part of the tentative agreement are not very substantive. The only change initiated by the union was to Article 14, Section A, Employee Protection. This provision gives employees the right to access all material in their personnel file and obligates the employer to show employees critical information added to their file to allow them an opportunity to attach their own explanation.

I recommend approval of the tentative agreement with AFSCME Local 2235.

 

xc: Chancellor Capdeville
President Gamble