Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:58:22 -0500
From: Gina Sayen <gmsayen@mtu.edu>
To: acadforum-l@mtu.edu
CC: Glenn Mroz <gdmroz@mtu.edu>, David Reed <ddreed@mtu.edu>,
        "Les P. Cook" <lpcook@mtu.edu>, Dan Greenlee <ddgreen@mtu.edu>,
        "TAHTINEN, DALE R." <drtahtin@mtu.edu>,
        Ellen Horsch <eshorsch@mtu.edu>, Shea McGrew <smcgrew@mtu.edu>,
        Lesley Lovett-Doust <lld@mtu.edu>, James Baker <jrbaker@mtu.edu>,
        Ingrid Cheney <iecheney@mtu.edu>, "Mike Gilles"@mtu.edu,
        "William J. McKilligan" <wjmckill@mtu.edu>,
        Walter Milligan <milligan@mtu.edu>,
        Roberta Dessellier <roberta@mtu.edu>
Subject: Faculty Union Update November 28, 2007]

Good Afternoon,

This Friday, the Union, the University, the petitioner, and Michigan
Employment Relations Commission Election Officer will be meeting via
phone to stipulate an election agreement.  In other words, if an
agreement can be reached by all parties, on composition of voting unit
for example, we can proceed with an election.  If we don't reach an
agreement, there is a pre-election hearing scheduled for December 19,
2007 in Detroit.   I will let you know next week the outcome of the meeting.

As you know, all staff and the staff bargaining units have received
their benefits forms and must return their forms by December 7 to the
Benefits Office.  Ingrid is preparing to send Tech Select forms to
AAUP-Represented Faculty this week.  Forms are to be returned to the
Benefits Office by December 14.  Under Michigan labor law, the
University is restricted in implementing changes to the benefit package
of union-represented employees. To avoid any legal objection by the AAUP
to our allowing faculty to participate in the revised program at this
time, the University asked the AAUP if it would  not object to the
faculty participating in the new program.  The AAUP has indicated that
it is unwilling to enter into such an understanding.  Absent such an
understanding, and due to the circumstances and the University's legal
obligations, faculty benefit options will therefore continue, for the
time being, as currently structured.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Ellen

--
Ellen S. Horsch
Vice President for Administration
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI 49931

Phone: 906-487-1737
Cell 906-369-1737