MSU Administrative Professional Association

For this installment of APA Questions From The Trenches, we asked APA President Maury Koffman to highlight answers to questions raised by members regarding the ongoing 2017 joint wage and health care negotiations with MSU.

Who participates in the joint wage and health care negotiations process?

As has been the past practice for nearly the last 20 years, the APA has joined with the other support staff unions on campus to negotiate a successor wage and health care agreement. Our current wage and health care agreement is in effect through December 31, 2017. Any tentative successor agreement is presented to the APA membership for review and a ratification vote.

Who sits at the bargaining table for the APA in these negotiations?

Each union has one or two representatives at the bargaining table. APA President and Chairperson Maury Koffman, and APA Treasurer Erica Phillipich, are serving as the representatives for the APA.  

Additionally, the support staff unions collectively asked APA/MEA UniServ Director, Melanie Waltz, to serve as the co-chief negotiator, a role the APA previously served during the 2013 joint wage and health care negotiations.

When did bargaining begin?

The MSU Administration contacted the APA and all support staff unions to begin negotiations in March 2017. This information was communicated to the APA membership via the APA Newsletter, APA Community Luncheons, and other APA member meetings and trainings.

What issues are being discussed at the negotiations table?

Only the issues of base wage and health care can be discussed and negotiated at this joint wage and health care bargaining table. Only when a tentative agreement is reached can we then present specifics regarding a proposed successor wage and health care agreement.

Who should I call with my additional questions?

The APA will do all it can to keep the membership updated with specifics while still upholding our duty to bargain in good faith with MSU. Rest assured that the APA continues our fight to preserve and enhance the current wages and health care benefits of all APA members.

APA members should feel free to contact the APA office at 517.999.4004 or via email at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

Towards the end of May 2017, President Trump released his budget and, in the process, has confirmed educators’ fears about how bad the spending blueprint is for students, public schools, and working families.

You can check out the plan in its entirety, but if you’re short on time, here’s a quick rundown of what’s in the Trump-DeVos budget:

• Cuts the federal investment in education programs in FY2018 by 13.6 percent;
• Cuts $10.6 billion in federal education initiatives overall;
• Eliminates 22 education programs;
• Cuts $1.2 billion from after-school programs;
• Cuts $27 million from arts education;
• Cuts IDEA (special education funding) by $133 million;
• Cuts $2.1 billion from funding to reduce class sizes (which is key for providing the one-on-one attention students need to succeed) and support professional development for educators; and
• More than $700 million in cuts to college loans for low-income students.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, President Trump and education secretary Betsy DeVos want to take more scarce resources away from our public schools – the same public schools that provide MSU with an overwhelming majority of our student body and where 90 percent of the nation’s children are enrolled – and funnel those funds into private and/or religious schools.

In an interview, our national union president (National Education Association), Lily Eskelsen Garcia, pointed out that the impact of the Trump budget extends beyond public education. It also targets Medicaid, Meals on Wheels, and those services aimed at providing a safety net for working families.

“These budget cuts will hurt every working family in America. And that’s why we have to call on Congress to reject the Trump budget,” said Garcia. “At the end of the day, the students and families most in need will pay the price because of the draconian cuts the Trump administration is proposing.”

“I greatly appreciate your thorough reply.  I found that this helpfully answered my questions and confusion.  I am also grateful for the nature of salary progression program.”
– APA Member

“I am grateful for APA’s affiliation with the Michigan Education Association (MEA) and the different discounts and services that are available to us through that. Thanks to MEA Financial Services I saved over 50% on my car insurance.  Through their network they were able to find a big name insurance company and saved me on both my car and home insurance.”
– Sue Brandt, APA Board Member

What is your job title?

My MSU official title is “Project/Event Coordinator” although my bosses calls me the “Operations Manager”.

What area of campus, building and department do you work in?

I work in the east part of campus in Owen Hall (the colorful balconies building) for the Institute for Public Utilities. I am new to IPU in December where I am the fiscal officer for all of the accounts, as well as the event coordinator for the programs we put on and facilitate.   

How long have you been at MSU?

I have worked at MSU since an undergraduate student. After graduation I started as a CT in 2005 and became an APA in 2008; so 12 years as a regular employee.

How long have you been an Area Rep?

I think I have been an Area Rep for 5 years now (it all starts to blend together)

Why is being a member of the Union important to you?

I started getting involved to attend meetings to learn more about specific topics the union was doing for its members. Over the years I am passionate over advocating and promoting what I have learned with those that I work with or come in contact with.  I feel it has been great having Area Reps as we are not Union board members; we are nothing more than everyone else out in the units and department, except we have gone through and continue to go through additional training to be the eyes and ears for the members we work with and to let you know what is coming down the pipe.  One of my biggest fears is losing our fully funded health care, as we have seen the non-unionized faculty, now pay a part of their health care. BUT OUR Union has managed to hold them off.  By standing together and voting to put people we trust on the board and in a position to fight for us, the Union will fight for our rights and keeping benefits for us as long as they can. They are looking out for OUR best interest!   

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

Meet your area representative, ask questions, and know what your rights are and how to promote yourself in the University, and GET involved in the union. If you vote to put the right people in place and stay involved with the union we have more power to keep the benefits we all appreciate.

What do you love about working at MSU?

I love the flexibility! I love being a part of a GREAT community and sense of belonging! I love the opportunities MSU has to offer and things to do around campus – take advantage of it and all this great community has to offer! Do you know there is FREE Emergency Child Care through the MSU WorkLife Office? You get 5 free days per year per employee per child. It’s a great place to work!

What do you like to do when you are not at work?

I am a mother of 4, ages 10, 8, and twin 5 year olds, so that alone keeps me plenty busy with their activities. I also am a member of the US Army Reserves which I have served for the last 16 years as a Career Counselor, SFC (P). Besides those, our family enjoys 4H, various kids’ activities and time at the family cabin.  

The AR’s are appointed by the Executive Board and their role is to assist with distributing APA materials and information and to serve as a resource for members. AR’s are assigned to a geographic area of campus, so if there is not an AR in your immediate building, you can find one nearby. For a list of AR’s go to http://lay.wyz.mybluehost.me/about/area-representatives-2/

The APA Executive Board would like to invite all members and their families to the APA Annual Picnic which will be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017.

This member event will be held at Patriarche Park at 1100 Alton Street in East Lansing from 4:30pm to 7:00pm under the picnic pavilion.

Relax, network, and have fun! Food and beverages will be provided.

Bring the whole family to the festivities. There will be fun activities for kids of all ages. We hope to see you there!

2016 Picnic

Meet Liz Ayres, our highlighted APA member from RHS Creative Services.

What is your job title?

Graphic Designer II

How long have you been at MSU?

I have worked for MSU for 41 years; 4 years as a student and 37 years full time. I worked for 4 years as a student worker at Owen Dining Hall as I attended MSU. Upon graduation I took on the full time position as a cook at Owen and a year later transitioned into supervision there. Eventually I transferred to Akers Dining Hall. While I was supervising there, I went back to school and earned an associate’s degree in Graphic Design from Lansing Community College and graduated in 1998. Right about the same time a position opened up in the RHS Publication Office (now IS Creative Services). I applied and got the job and started working there that same year. 

Have you been a member of the APA the whole time?

When I was in food service I was an APSA overseeing the full time staff and student team members. When I changed jobs to a Graphic Designer, I became an APA.

What department do you work in, and can you tell me a little about what you do?

I work at Creative Service which is a part of Residential and Hospitality Services – Information Services. On a daily basis I design print, digital and web materials for the departments of RHS. Some jobs involve just one requested item. There are also campaigns which involve many jobs. One example of a campaign is the Spring Arts & Crafts Show. This campaign has 14 jobs. Some jobs are printed in-house and I follow through on the production from designing to printing to packaging. I also work with our student team members, assigning jobs and overseeing the production of our weekly UAB posters and table tents.

What brought you to your job at MSU?

My sister was attending MSU when I graduated from high school, which was a big determining factor in my choice of MSU for college. It was nice to have her here when I came.

What do you love about working at MSU?

I love being around the students. They are so full of life and caring and I love seeing their perspective on life and the world. I also love the campus. It is beautiful in all the seasons.

What do you like to do when you are not at work?

I love to read and go to movies, especially adventure and disaster films. I also love to be with my kids – that is my 2 dogs who are sweethearts. They both love to play and cuddle!

As has been the past practice for nearly the last 20 years, the APA has joined with the other support staff unions on campus to negotiate a successor wage and health care agreement. Our current wage and health care agreement is in effect through December 31, 2017.

The MSU Administration contacted the APA and all support staff unions to begin negotiations in March 2017. The APA rejoined the Coalition of Labor Organizations at MSU for the limited and exclusive purpose of negotiating a new agreement. Each union has one or two representatives at the bargaining table. APA President and Chairperson Maury Koffman, and APA Treasurer Erica Phillipich, are serving as the representatives for the APA.  

Additionally, the support staff unions collectively asked APA/MEA UniServ Director, Melanie Waltz, to serve as the co-chief negotiator, a role the APA previously served during the 2013 joint wage and health care negotiations.

At this time, only a couple bargaining sessions have been held and it remains unclear what issues will be brought to the table. Rest assured that the APA will keep the membership updated as we fight to preserve and enhance the current wages and health care benefits of all APA members and support staff on campus.

If you have any questions, please direct them to APA President and Chairperson, Maury Koffman, at [email protected].

The state’s 15 universities would receive a 1.9 percent base increase – less than the 2.5 percent the Governor proposed – in its Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 state allocation under a spending plan that moved out of a House subcommittee a few weeks ago.

Overall, universities would see $26 million more from the state than FY 2017, which is $9 million less than the $35 million the state proposed and $2 million less than what was moved out of the Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

The plan is $17.6 million is less than what the Governor proposed, but 2.3 percent or $37 million more than what universities received in this current year.

HB 4229, which moved to the full House Appropriations Committee, stops the universities from getting the funding bump if they increase tuition over 3.8 percent. The budget moved from the House Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee to the full House Appropriations Committee with all but one member voting yes.

Under the House plan, Grand Valley State University would get the largest percentage funding increase at 2.6 percent. Lake Superior State University and Wayne State University would get the lowest at 1.5 percent.

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor would get a $5.65 million increase in HB 4229 while Michigan State University would get $5.1 million more than received in FY 2017.

Other important items from the budget include:

– The Tuition Grant Program for need-based assistance to private or non-profit schools went up $1.5 million or 4.3 percent, which is lower than the $3 million increase the Governor wanted.

– The $2.5 million the Governor put into Michigan State’s animal agriculture initiative was not included in the House’s plan. Neither was the $1.2 million the Governor put in for MSU’s workforce initiative that is designed to support the state’s food processing industry.

Source: ” Universities Get 1.9% More, Not Gov’s 2.5% In House Plan”, MIRS Breaking News, March 30, 2017.