EMU regents approve four-year agreement with police officers union
The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents unanimously approved a four-year contract for the 21-member police officers union.
The new agreement awards EMU Police Officers Association members a 0 percent raise the first year, a 1 percent raise the second year and a 2 percent raise the third and fourth years.
The association had been in tense negotiations with EMU since February and, unsatisfied with health care options and raises, voted down a possible contract in May.
A second contract passed in late June.
The agreement includes an increase in health insurance premiums, which will be $125 a month for the most commonly chosen plan and rise 12 percent each year afterward for the duration of the contract. EMU offered the officers a $1,250 lump sum payment to assuage concerns about health care costs, as they did with faculty members in 2010.
Officers negotiated a more rapid rise to top pay. When the contract begins July 1, it will take officers five years to reach the top pay scale, which is currently roughly $58,000 for employees without a degree and $60,400 for employees with a degree.
That's an improvement from the current eight-year scale.
EMU is still in negotiations with the clerical union and faculty union.
The regents approved the contract during a special 4 p.m. meeting Tuesday. Regents did not discuss Susan Martin, or the controversy surrounding their May letter reprimanding her for drinking.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
snapshot
Thu, Jul 26, 2012 : 6:31 a.m.
"Negotiations" my butt. The term negotiations would indicate that there was equal ground on both sides. Withf state mandated arbitration, labor boards, and constitutional amendments that favor unions, there is no such thing as "negotiations" anymore. Secrecy, backroom deals, candidate support, and the unseen perks of labor make the term "negotiation" a joke.
Angry Moderate
Wed, Jul 25, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
Whether the change from 8 years to 5 years is an "improvement" is a matter of opinion, not fact.
leezee
Wed, Jul 25, 2012 : 2:09 p.m.
I wonder how long it will take before the creepy feeling goes away whenever I see the words EMU Board of Regents. I really have no respect for this group now.
whatsupwithMI
Thu, Jul 26, 2012 : 10:47 a.m.
The regents certainly seem to feel that there is no such thing as bad publicity, don't they. I do wonder how much support a constitutional amendment might be able to get to switch their appointment method to an elected one.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jul 25, 2012 : 11:26 a.m.
They should have a toast to celebrate.
Aquarius
Wed, Jul 25, 2012 : 5:16 p.m.
It is disgraceful that they are receiving pay raises when every other public sector worker is watching their pay, healthcare and retirement whittled away to nothing. Before ya know it the cops in Detroit will be be riding around on Segways making 8 bucks an hour.