The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today unanimously approved the proposed contract with the NMU-American Association of University Professors (AAUP) union and a letter of agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees' (AFSCME) Local 1094.
"First, we offer sincere thanks to the negotiating teams representing both the university and the NMU faculty union,” said Board Chair Tami Seavoy. “They have tirelessly and sincerely represented the respective parties through a long process requiring tremendous effort by all involved, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. We believe that the agreement signed today serves the collective interests of NMU faculty, the university and our students, and will allow us to work together on the exciting initiatives that lie ahead.”
The AFSCME letter of agreement was based on a contractual wage reopener. Modifications include an extended contract period through Sept. 30, 2025. AFSCME employees will receive a 2% base salary increase in three of the four years and a one-time payment of 2% of base salary in the second year. The two parties also agreed to collapse the salary scale for some employees from four steps to two—with a higher starting wage—to align with other AFSCME positions.
“We're pleased that the wage reopener also allowed us to agree to a contract extension, which provides for longer-term security for the AFSCME employees,” Seavoy added.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the NMU Board of Trustees will be held Dec. 9-10, in advance of mid-year commencement.