TO: Board of Regents

FROM: Sue Hill, Director, Labor Relations and Personnel

RE: Approval of Memorandum of Understanding with Print, Publishing and Media Sector of the Communication Workers of America, Local 14740, and Graphic Communication International Union, Local 242-C

DATE: March 25-26, 2004

Attached is a memorandum of understanding that extends the 2001-2003 collective bargaining agreement with the Communications Workers of America Local #14720 and the Printing, Publishing and Media Sector Workers Local #277 until June 30, 2005. The Communications Workers of America represent 6 employees in UM's Printing Services Department who are responsible for typesetting, paste-up, and graphic design functions. The Graphic Communications International Union represents the 12 employees who run the presses, and operate duplicating and binding machines. It is very rare that these two unions share a joint collective bargaining agreement and cooperate as extensively as they do at UM's Printing Services Department. The level of labor-management cooperation in UM's Printing Services is unparalleled and as a result the renegotiations of this agreement is always a pleasure. This biennium because of the pay freeze, we decided to forgo formal negotiations and simply roll the prior agreement forward for two additional years. The entire agreement can be viewed on line at https://mus.edu/hr/cba/collbarg.html.

This memorandum of understanding incorporates three changes. In Article XI, the employer's group health insurance contribution was increased by $44 per month in FY 04 and $50 per month in FY05, in accordance with House Bill 13. Wages were increased by 25 cents per hour, effective January 1, 2005. In addition to this across-the-board increase authorized by the legislature for all state employees, eligible employees may receive a .5% achievement pay increase on June 30th of each year. The memorandum of understanding also adopted the Regents' policy regarding dependent tuition waivers.

The bargaining unit has already voted to approve the memorandum of understanding. I recommend that the Regents approve the memorandum of understanding with Print, Publishing and Media Sector of the Communication Workers of America, Local 14740, and Graphic Communication International Union, Local 242-C at their March meeting.