Throughout negotiations, summary reports will be added to the Negotiations page of this website for future reference.
Meeting #7
Attending:
FA: Loveland, Lynch, McGuinness, Shepard, Walz
Admin: Allen, Behnke, Berchtold, Fedorchak, Losinger
We caucused for 15 minutes at the beginning of the session.
Formal negotiations began at 3:20.
- Mike told Regina, “Your spreadsheets are off.”
- Regina responded, “These are off the College’s data. But OK we will send our two financial guys off to work on it together.”
- Mike stated, “We went back to the NRC and shared the updates, including health insurance and salary. It was a difficult conversation.
- At the end of the day we are not putting anything on the table today. There is a growing feeling that the prior settlement was made during the worst economic situation in recent memory. As a result there is a need to address modest increases and the huge impact on our health insurance.
- Because of your opening proposals and staying put on that, it has fostered a heightened awareness of the amount that we were paying on health insurance versus what we are paying now. This informs salary and increases expectations—expectations based internally and externally.
- The conversation centered on other things. We have some work to do.
- We are going to step back. Then return with a clear rationale about our salary proposal.”
- Regina stated, “There is some room to move, but not a lot.”
- Mike said, “This meeting shows that there are problems.”
- Regina responded, “Us, too. Anything over 2 % will be a huge challenge to get the Board to move on.” She added, “Let’s not linger.”
- Mike agreed, “We won’t . We are not in favor of impasse. We will bring our rationale.”
- Regina stated, “You have my commitment to see how far I can push the Board.”
- Fred pressed her on her ability to deliver. She stated, “I will do my best to determine that real bottom line.”
Adjourned at 3:25.
Respectfully submitted,
Suzanne V. Shepard, Ph.D.
Member, Faculty Association Negotiating Team