MSU Administrative Professional Association

The Community Based Event (CBE) ad-hoc committee is pleased to report initiatives are underway and APA members are engaging in helping their communities. The CBE has helped support the 2011 Tri-county Alzheimer Walk and the ongoing donation of children’s books to the Capital Area Literacy Coalition.  Planned for November 30, 2011, APA members will conduct a campus-wide children’s book drive to help improve youth literacy in the greater Lansing area.  Announcements will follow in the coming week on locations near your workplace to donate new condition children’s books.  If you are interested in volunteering to help with the book collection, please contact Nick Bourland at [email protected].

The committee is always looking for new ideas, organizations, and volunteers.  To find out more, please visit the CBE committee page on the APA website.

Report from the political trenches
By Leo Sell, Legislative Committee Chairperson

LGBT

Redistricting

Voting disenfranchisement

To look at what the Michigan Legislature has continually focused on since 2010 you would think that our state’s biggest issue is not jobs but that it is teachers and public employee union rights. For APA members, the following new or pending laws are of particular importance:

Public Act 54 (passed) essentially is designed to force bargaining units to a settlement on the employer’s terms. It freezes wages after a contract expires – prohibiting automatic increases such as the APL (Automatic Progression Level), passes on health care benefits cost increases to the employees and bans retroactivity. There are valid legal questions to be raised about whether this act applies to unions representing employees at MSU (or UMich, or Wayne). However, it is an onerous law that has had a seriously chilling effect on effective bargaining.

Public Act 62 (passed) reduces education funding by one billion dollars.

Public Act 152 (passed) requires public employees to pay no less than 20% of their health care insurance premium. This act (which applies after a labor agreement such as the Joint Health Care Agreement expires) essentially forces a “one size fits all” solution to reduce employer costs. Of course, the legislators ignore that this is a crass cost shift and effective massive pay reduction. What is particularly galling is that other efforts to contain costs, even when determined by labor-management cooperation, are completely ignored. Though the bill did pass, and though the bill does specifically include MSU and other State Universities, the APA/MEA and MSU have valid reason to believe that Public Act 152 does not apply to MSU. This issue is long from decided at this point, but is certainly cause for concern.

A pending Right to Work (for less!) bill has morphed into a proposal that would affect ONLY the MEA and not other public employee unions or unions generally. Obviously the targeting of our state organization is intended to reduce our voice substantially.

Other pending bills attack unions’ ability to use public facilities (OK for a church or scout troop but not for union members to use for union purposes!!??); collection of union dues; release time; and more.

And, when they’re not busy directly attacking unions and union member rights, they have focused on voter redistricting plan that very likely violates the Voting Rights Act as well as the benefits provided to those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual or Transexual. A grossly discriminatory action!

Meanwhile, all of us wonder why our standard of living seems to be constantly reducing while the overall wealth in the country increases vastly. A good explanation of this issue is available at http://i.minus.com/iiWpK.png

No wonder the “Occupy” movement has struck a cord. We are well on the way to a government that is entirely “privately held”. This has to be stopped!

So, we have to be in a position to fight back and elect people who SUPPORT human rights including union rights; who support public education and its funding; who support fair taxation  and other policies.

A good step to take toward that end is to make a political action contribution via http://meavotes.org/contribute

On Monday, October 10, 2011, months of tough 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, 2015.  As with most collective bargaining, neither management nor labor obtained everything sought at the commencement of negotiations.

As anticipated, the employer met the 2011 APA Bargaining Team with demands to codify the pronouncement by President Simon in spring 2010 to cease University funding for post-retirement health care benefits for employees beginning their University employment on or after July 1, 2010.  The employer also sought modifications in overtime computation and educational assistance along with another 30 proposals.

Responding to the information and data from APA membership surveys and input provided through member engagement events, emails, and phone calls, the APA Bargaining Team entered negotiations with proposals on access to employee-paid optional benefits such as short term disability and optical insurance.  The APA also had an extensive proposal on enhanced dental coverage.  In total, the APA proposed nearly 30 contract improvements at the beginning of negotiations.

From August to October 2011, the APA met with the employer on numerous occasions.  Attempting to move the process forward, both sides mutually agreed to withdraw several proposals and focus on the larger issues in effort to reach a tentative agreement.

Ultimately, the Bargaining Team agreed on proposals regarding post-retirement health care, overtime, and modification to educational assistance.  Despite the difficult climate for labor negotiations in Michigan and the state of our economy, the APA was also able to secure multiple successes.

Improved language eliminates a mandatory trial or probationary period for member subject to a simple reclassification.  New policies were added for members placed on Call-in and Standby status that mandates reasonable compensation.  Discretion of family sick leave use was improved by allowing 80 hours from the previous 64 hour limit.  Other Eligible Individuals (OEIs) were added into multiple provisions to ensure each member of the bargaining unit is treated equally.  And, letters of agreement were obtained that ensure discussions with the employer on enhanced dental coverage and self-purchased supplemental benefits will continue until there is a mutually agreeable resolution.

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 CHM Grand Rapids and COM Detroit Medical Center campuses.  Members who attended delved into the issues and had productive dialogue.

Ratification voting opened on October 17 and concluded at 4pm on Monday, October 31.  With 69% voting in favor, the tentative agreement was officially ratified by the APA membership.

The APA greatly appreciates the comments that were provided leading into and during negotiations and membership questions and engagement around the tentative agreement ratification.  The APA understands that this ratified agreement may have a significant impact on individual members and will continue to be engaged on recent contract modifications to ensure impact to members is as minimal as possible.

For further information or to ask questions, please contact the APA at [email protected] or at 517.353.4898.

The first APA tailgate on Saturday, September 24 was a great success!

The tailgate began at 10:00 am with burgers, hot dogs and lots of fun.  The APA banner and tent were at the northwest corner of Shaw and Red Cedar, near the old Shaw Lane Power Plant.  It was a beautiful day to walk around campus, enjoy food fresh off the grill and catch up with other MSU APA members.  It was also a fabulous day to watch some football and the Spartans beat the Chippewas in a 45-7 rout.  Member Chris Wilson and family were able to enjoy that victory up close as the lucky winners of the APA football ticket giveaway!  Thank you to all who came out to visit with us and look forward to seeing everyone at next year’s tailgate.  Go green!

Please join us for the first APA tailgate on Saturday, September 24 as the Spartans take on the Central Michigan Chippewas.  APA will have a family-friendly tailgate beginning at 10:00 am, so bring your family for burgers, hot dogs and lots of fun!  Look for the APA banner and tent at the northwest corner of Shaw and Red Cedar, directly south of the old Shaw Lane Power Plant.   Make sure to check our facebook group or twitter feed for updates as the date approaches.  We’d love to see you all there!