Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:15:21 -0500
From: Gina Sayen <gmsayen@mtu.edu>
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Subject: Faculty Union Update 11/06/07
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Good Morning,

The University and the Union were scheduled to meet on Monday and Tuesday,
November 5, and 6.  On the morning of November 5, the University proposed a
counter to Article 19, Intellectual Property.  We withdrew Article 28,
Post-Tenure and Review on condition the Union would accept our counter on
Article 21, Salaries.

On October 26, at the previous set of negotiations, the Union presented the
University with a possible contract package not as a formal proposal but as a
"off the record" discussion (see attached).

Late November 5, we rejected the Union's "off the record" proposal and presented
a formal proposal for a full contract agreement.  This is keeping with the Ground
Rules.

In other labor news, Gordon Gregory, the  AAUP attorney, did respond to the motion
to dismiss the Fact Finding on October 20, 2007.  Please see the attached.

Please note that Mr Gregory was quite clear in his request to the Commission to
proceed with the Association's petition for fact finding.  In his 10 page response,
he essentially claims that the University and AAUP are not making progress and that
there is a "...need for a neutral fact finder to disclose those issues and allegations
that have thus far prevented agreement on an initial collective bargaining agreement."

However, six days later on October 26, Mr. Gregory's opinion did change when in
a memo to Judge Stern he asked to adjourn the ULP by stating "The parties are
engaged in meaningful negotiations with the prospect of resolving their dispute.
Additional time is required for that effort."(see attached).

Of course, the University is quite pleased that the Union feels we are making
progress and this will take time.

The Union responded to 10 outstanding articles on the evening of November 5. 
Given they had not responded to the University's full contract proposal, the
University informed the Union we would not respond to their new proposals until
the Union responds to the University's full contract package proposal.

Since there were no other issues for discussion and the Union could not respond
to the University's full contract proposal, negotiations were canceled for Tuesday,
November 6, at the request of the Union.

As in the past, I encourage you to review the latest proposals at
http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/adminresources/AAUP/ArticleHistory.htm.

Ellen

--

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

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