MSU Administrative Professional Association

The APA facilitates a network of trained Area Representatives (ARs for short). ARs often serve as an initial point of contact for members seeking guidance in understanding and applying the contract to their work environment. We thank the AR’s for their willingness to help distribute association materials and keep the APA Executive Board informed of important developments on campus.  A list of current AR’s for 2019-20 is below.

Jared Andrews

James Bender

Darius Bradly

Jim Brinker

Ian Cameron

Chong Anna Canfora

Michael Chumbley

Katherine Cusick

Heather Dover

Matt Evans

Becky Jo Farrington

George Harris

Cynthia Helms

Kaleigh Jaeger-Hale

Gerlind Kiupel

Heather Litts

Erik Maillard

Jamie Lynn Marks

Alison Virag McCann

Paula Palmiter

Anna-Marie Rodriquez-Pelizzari

Jeremy Romel

Amanda Ross

Jennifer Sergeant

Tammy Slocum

Steven Smith

Angela Sorrels-Jones

Erin West

Lisa Wilton

Andrea Worful

A complete list of AR’s by building location and their contact information can be found at http://lay.wyz.mybluehost.me/about/area-representatives-2/. If there is not an AR in your building, there is one nearby who is willing to assist.

By Ian Cameron, MSU APA Area Representative

I have now used Teladoc on a couple of occasions and will continue to use it in the future. It is very easy to use, available 24/7 and costs nothing. No Co-Pay at this time; nothing. All you have to do is sign up which is quick and easy, provide some basic information and provide a list of current medications. You can also enroll your family members as well.

When you are sick or in need of a seeing a doctor for a non-emergency situation, all you have to do is access the website and schedule a visit which happens via web, phone or mobile app. The doctor usually calls back within 30 minutes or less in my experience. For those who work in an open office environment, it is easy to slide into an unoccupied room or use the designated health privacy rooms on campus. You explain your symptoms and answer a few questions, then a prescription in many cases is sent to the pharmacy of your own choice.

The best part of using Teladoc, is that you never have to leave your home or office. Using Teladoc not only saves you time and money, but also helps the University save money on medical expenses which could lead to greater pay increases in October. While I have not used this myself, I understand that for those may need to provide a doctor’s note, Teladoc also has the ability to provide one that is accepted by the university. 

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I encourage you to give it a try.

What’s your job title?

Laboratory Technologist.

What area of campus (this refers to the area rep info on the APA website, like, East, South, North, etc.) building and department do you work in?

South end, off campus at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

How long have you been at MSU?

9 years.

How long have you been an Area Representative for APA?

About 1 year.

Why is being a member of the Union important to you, and what value does APA bring?

It’s very reassuring to have someone to turn to should any questions or concerns arise in the workplace.

What words of advice do you have for new hires at MSU?

There are a lot of benefits and resources available for MSU employees. Be sure to take full advantage of them. 

What do you love about working at MSU?

Working at MSU allows you to meet people with many different backgrounds both foreign and domestic. It’s interesting to learn about what other people do outside of work. I’ve had the opportunity to meet several people from different countries and continue to stay in touch with them.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

We are a busy family and as such I enjoy watching my kids partake in their many activities of figure skating, ice hockey, soccer, ballet, and softball. I’ve recently been introduced to the sport of curling and I can say it is harder than it looks. In the summer, there’s a good chance I’m either golfing and trying to improve my game (keyword is “trying”), or away at a flea market somewhere. When time permits I also enjoy reading about and collecting World War II history. 

On Tuesday, September 24, 2019, contract negotiations concluded when the APA reached a tentative agreement with the administration of Michigan State University for a successor APA contract, valid through September 30, 2023. As with most collective bargaining, neither management nor labor obtained everything sought at the commencement of negotiations. 

In the foreground above, Rick Fanning, Director of Employee Relations (left) and Maury Koffman, APA President (right) conclude contract negotiations having reached a tentative agreement.

Responding to the information and data obtained from APA 2019 bargaining membership survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-2RGZ72KD7/) and input provided through member engagement events, emails, and phone calls, the APA Bargaining Team entered negotiations with proposals on nearly 30 different contractual items. 

A brief recap is as follows:

The APA was successful in fighting off University proposals on topics such as:

• Increasing merit pay to 100% of your annual base wage increase which could prevent members from receiving any base wage increase any year at the exclusive discretion of your immediate supervisor/department
• Restrictions on use of personal time
• Limitations on use of vacation and the ability for management to rescind previously approved vacation time
• Eligibility requirements for annual wage increases that would also reduce employee job security rights
• Removal of mandatory wage increases when accepting higher grade level positions
• Physical reporting requirement to be eligible for call-in pay

The APA is proud to have negotiated:

• A paid parental leave program with a gradual roll-in of four (4) weeks as of January 1, 2021, five (5) weeks as of January 1, 2022, and six (6) weeks as of January 1, 2023. The benefit will provide 100% pay and benefits covering childbirth, a spouse, and/or the adoption of a child not already part of the household.
• Added language to explore additional discussions on improved and enhanced dental coverage
• Added new language that guarantees a minimum of $500 lump sum bonus in any month an APA member temporarily fills a vacancy as an acting or interim role for 15 or more days
• Expanded recognition of the APA statewide, and job security rights for APs in Grand Rapids, wherever 3 or more APs are working for a main campus department
• Additional release time for the union to meet with, assist, advise, and represent APA members in worksite issues
• Enhanced job security rights for off-date employees when the position is not renewed
• Changes to the APA layoff bypass process that includes greater notice and guarantees to interviews for positions regardless of grade level
• $100 additional professional development funds each year to support member professional growth
• Maintained current 40% across the board and 60% merit pay process for annual base wage increases unless the total base wage increase is 1% or less in which case the annual base wage increase will be applied 100% across the board
• Clarified members rights to access and review materials in their official personnel record
• Expanded members rights to take a leave of absence without pay for time spent with immediate family members on a military leave
• Ensure individuals regularly scheduled to work more than 8 hour shifts are entitled to use the equivalent time off as their regular schedule (versus a maximum of 8 hours)
• Improved bereavement to permit an individual to use time off within 6 months of the death
• Added language to encourage greater focus on campus diversity and inclusion

Additionally, your APA Bargaining Team pursued key issues members brought to attention: 

• Improved dental coverage
• Additional paid time off including recognized holidays, vacation time, personal days, and campus closure between Christmas and New Years
• Objective criteria to determine the merit portion of the annual APA base wage increase 
• Parking rate equity for members working at non-main campus sites 

After notice of the tentative agreement was provided to the APA membership, information sessions were held on campus in East Lansing, as well as at the campuses in Grand Rapids and Flint. Members who attended delved into the issues and had productive dialogue. 

Balloting for the 2019 – 2023 APA Tentative Agreement ratification concluded on October 21, 2019, at 4pm. 

In total, 675 members cast a ballot. 647 (96%) votes were cast in support of ratification and 28 (4%) votes were cast in opposition. Therefore, the contract was officially ratified by the APA membership. As soon as possible, the ratified contract will be printed and copies made available to APA members. Additionally, an electronic version will be posted on the APA website. 

The APA greatly appreciates the comments that were provided leading into and during negotiations as well as membership questions and engagement around the tentative agreement ratification. For further information or to ask questions, please contact the APA at [email protected] or at 517.999.4004. 

The APA is again working with the MSU CAMP program and the Lansing Intermediate School District to collect winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves and boots for students in need.  We ask that donated items be new or slightly used and clean.

The APA Winter Coat Drive will be running from October 1-22, 2019 with drop off locations to be announced at a later date.

For those of you unfamiliar, MSU CAMP is the College Assistance Migrant Program, a residential program with students living in Holden Hall that assists migrant or seasonal farm worker students, to enable them to complete their first year of college.  These students, generally from Texas are from a warm climate and come unprepared for the Michigan winters and lack financial means.  Items collected are also shared with the Lansing Intermediate School District.

The APA eligible base wage increase this October 2019 will be 2.75%. We have also confirmed that the eligible base wage increase next year in October 2020 will be another 2.75%.

APA 2019 – 2021/2022 Health Care & Wage Increases

In addition to annual eligible wage increases, the APA is proud to have negotiated a joint wage and health care agreement that ensures fully funded health care with no monthly employee-paid premium for single, double, and family coverage for the base plan (Blue Care Network) health care coverage through December 31, 2021.

In short, the APA wage increases for the coming years are as follows:

-October 2019: 2.75%, currently subject to 40% of the wage increase provided automatically and 60% of the wage increase provided through application of management’s merit pay guidelines. The merit and across-the-board percentages are subject to change pending a successor APA contract which is being bargained with MSU.

-October 2020: 2.75%, currently subject to 40% of the wage increase provided automatically and 60% of the wage increase provided through application of management’s merit pay guidelines. The merit and across-the-board percentages are subject to change pending a successor APA contract which is being bargained with MSU.

-October 2021 and 2022: to be determined under the terms year of our wage and health care agreement. A minimum 1% lump sum payment to a maximum of a 2.75% base wage increase.

As a reminder, the APA negotiates our contract that ensures fully funded health care, a minimum salary by grade level, and annual eligible base wage increases. It is noteworthy that the APA contract works as a floor and there is no ceiling for the salary increase amount or maximum annual salary.

While 100% of the funds negotiated by the APA for annual wage increases must be distributed in full to APA members each year in October, a department is fully permitted under the APA contract to provide a greater wage increase in October, or extend an out-of-cycle wage increase in any month, provided the department accounts for the funding in their budget and it is processed through HR.

A More Detailed Explanation

To begin, health care will continue to be fully MSU-funded with no employee premium for the base plan for single, double, and family coverage through December 31, 2021.

As to wages, starting this October 2019, the health care cost experience shall be calculated based on the average health care cost per union member of the MSU Coalition of Labor. That calculation shall be a monthly average over the period July 1 through June 30 of each year.

Therefore, the October 2019 base wage increase was determined using the new formula of average union member health care cost. Because the average cost increase per member was .9% over that measuring year, APA members will receive a 2.75% base wage increase in October 2019.

For October 2020, 2021, and 2022, the health care cost increase will continue to be measured using the average union member health care cost increase. As with this notice, once we know the finalized health care cost increase for each measuring year and the associated base wage increase amount we will communicate with the APA membership accordingly.

Further Questions?

We hope that the above information helps inform your understanding of the upcoming annual APA wage increases and fully funded health care coverage. You can review a copy of the entire joint wage and health care agreement on the APA website at:

http://lay.wyz.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Final-JHCC-MOU-2018-2021.pdf

If you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected] or phone us at the APA office at 517.999.4004.

This month’s question:  Name this iconic building located on main campus.

Email your answer by clicking here by Sept 27, 2019.  Limit of one guess per person.  One member who correctly answers will be randomly drawn to win various prizes.  Winner will be announced in the next newsletter. Must be an APA member in good standing to win; however, APA Board Members, Area Representatives and Communications Committee Members are not eligible to win.

Congratulations to last newsletter winners Gina Karasek and Adam Stone who were drawn from those who correctly answered last month’s question: “The APA is part of the MEA.  What does the MEA stand for?” The answer was Michigan Education Association.

What is your job title? My official title with MSU is Consortium Coordinator I.  In that role, I manage the headquarters for a national research initiative.

How long have you been at MSU?  I will have 28 years in at MSU on Oct. 1st.

Have you been a member of the APA the whole time?  I’ve been a member of the APA since April of 2000.  Before that I was in the CT union.

What department do you work in, and can you tell me a little bit about what you do?  I am based in the department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences where I have worked for almost my entire career at MSU.  However, in my current position, my focus is almost 100% outside of MSU. I am the Director of Operations for the Networking and Facilitation Office of the U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI).  The USWBSI receives funding, approximately $6.2M, through USDA-ARS to work on a disease that effects wheat and barley. I facilitate the call for and review of proposals, organize our annual conference, facilitate annual committee elections and appointments, and act as liaison between ARS and the scientists receiving funding to work on this disease, Fusarium Head Blight.

What brought you to your job at MSU? I have been working for MSU since I graduated from MSU in 1986 with a BA, except for a short four year break when I lived outside of Michigan.  Before my current position, I was a field technician working with the Corn Breeding Program in my current dept. which at the time was Crop & Soil Sciences.

What do you love about working at MSU?  What I love about working at MSU is that in my current position, I am able to work from home.  Also, my family has a long history with MSU. My grandfather worked for MSU extension. My grandmother, mother and one of my sisters all got their bachelor’s and master’s from MSU, as well as myself and my other sister both got our bachelors here.  I never considered going somewhere else for college and very happy to have been able to stay at MSU as long as I have.

What do you like to do when you are not at work?  Up until about three years ago, I was pretty active, and liked to garden and travel.  However, after four knee surgeries and two shoulder surgeries in 16 months, I’ve become an avid reader.  I do still like hanging out with my girlfriends and getting together for dinner.