Trustees approve AFSCME agreement
Sept. 18, 2000
KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved a three-year labor agreement with Local 1668 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Michigan AFSCME Council 25. The vote made official a tentative agreement reached by WMU and union representatives on Aug. 26.
Details of the agreement include mutually beneficial changes to the grievance procedure, the disciplinary action process and the joint union-University apprenticeship, training and education program.
The economic package includes 3.25 percent across the board wage increases in the first and second years of the agreement and a 3 percent wage increase in the third year. Additionally, each employee is scheduled to receive a lump sum bonus of $150 in the third year of the agreement, and the pact also outlines additional pay increases for selected job classifications.
The agreement also contains modest benefit enhancements consistent with those extended to other employee groups at the University in recent years, such as the addition of limited preventive health care coverage.
AFSCME represents approximately 500 custodial, dining services, grounds and maintenance employees at the University. Union members voted to ratify the new contract Sept. 6.
Media contact: Jessica English, 616 387-8400, jessica.english@wmich.edu