KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees held their first meeting Wednesday with new President Russ Kavalhuna driving the agenda.
It was a meeting only in the official sense, as the board met virtually in a special online session to ratify a contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union.
Negotiations were handled differently this time. Both the university and the union did market studies to compare salaries in the private sector.
These are 300 university employees who cook the meals, clean the buildings, keep the peace, keep the grounds, and enforce parking.
WMU Vice President for Finance Jan Van Der Kley says the base increase is 2% with different job classifications getting more depending on the market studies.
AFSCME union president Bryan Sutton called it a reset in their labor relations with WMU.
“It also shows other groups and constituents on campus that when we are talking with each other, as opposed to talking at each other, anything is possible.”
President Kavalhuna said it was good to be on board, and recommended trustees ratify the two-year deal.
“This is an exciting and good sign of the collaborative process that is not always collaborative, taking place.”
The union membership ratified the contract Monday. The WMU Board of Trustees doesn’t have another meeting scheduled until next month, which is why they called the special session Wednesday
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