The Michigan State University Union of Tenure-System Faculty, who are currently in negotiations with the university, is alleging that the administration has violated the proper negotiating procedures between the two parties.
Those violations, according to the UTSF President, have resulted in faculty grievances going unaddressed and adjustments to the process for salary increases — the latter of which has caused the union to shift their negotiation timeline to focus on this sole issue, rather than a complete contract.
The union is alleging that MSU violated the “status quo," or the existing terms and conditions of employment at the time a union is officially recognized, when the university made changes to the faculty grievance procedure and process for salary increases, citing legal advice from the general counsel. Under Michigan’s Public Employment Relations Act for public universities, MSU is prohibited from making unilateral changes to policies and procedures about subjects of bargaining during the period of negotiations for an initial contract.
“It's to protect the union and protect the employees,” UTSF President NiCole Buchanan said. “To make sure that the employer is not creating a series of changes in that middle time frame that disadvantage employees.”
In the months following UTSF’s formal recognition by the university, Buchanan said she started hearing concerns regarding salary raises.
Other concerns relayed by faculty included summer salaries and changes to how...
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