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WMU and its faculty reach tentative agreement

Aug. 31, 2005

KALAMAZOO--During the early morning hours of Aug. 31, Western Michigan University and the West Michigan chapter of the American Association of University Professors, which represents WMU's faculty, reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year collective bargaining agreement.

The agreement was reached after 29 bargaining sessions, which began May 19 and included one with a state mediator. The tentative agreement must now be ratified by a vote of the AAUP membership and approved by the WMU Board of Trustees.

Announcement of the tentative agreement was made by Dr. Jon Neill, WMU professor of economics and chief negotiator for the WMU AAUP and by Dr. Jay Wood, associate vice president for academic affairs and director of academic collective bargaining and contract administration. Wood led negotiations on behalf of the WMU administration.

In a joint statement, Neill and Wood said, "Throughout the process, both sides were committed to reaching an agreement that is in the best interest of the University, its students and faculty. There was give and take on both sides as well as a determination to keep the talks focused on the most important issues."

The pair reported that the tentative agreement includes salary increases of 3.5 percent in the first year, 3 percent in the second year and 3.25 percent in the final year. Additional contract details were withheld pending the ratification process.

Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu

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