University, faculty union reach tentative agreement

3/19/2013

BOWLING GREEN — Bowling Green State University and its faculty union have come to a tentative agreement on a first contract that could be finalized next month.

Details of the proposed multi-year contract have not been released, though it includes retroactive raises and pay increases for faculty members in upcoming years, according to the BGSU Faculty Association.

Faculty voted in fall, 2010, to join the American Association of University Professors.

Contract talks included about 25 hours of negotiation Friday and Saturday, said David Jackson, association president.

The deal remains to be finalized. Faculty members are expected to conduct electronic voting after April 1.

The university’s Board of Trustees also must approve the contract, which could occur during a yet-to-be scheduled special meeting, said university spokesman Dave Kielmeyer. The board’s next regularly scheduled session is May 3.

Work is needed to compile and organize the contract’s sections, Mr. Jackson said. Once the compilation work is complete the association’s members will be given a summary of the highlights, likely by Friday. An entire contract could be ready to send to members March 29, he said. There are about 850 full-time faculty members in the bargaining unit.

The contract includes retroactive raises for 2011-12 and 2012-13, including for the 100 faculty members whose positions university officials have said they plan to eliminate, according to the faculty association. The agreement also includes raises for the next three years, as well as sections that cover academic freedom, promotion and tenure, and intellectual property.

“Obviously most people are concerned about salary and benefits. I would just point out that there are many other portions of a university contract,” Mr. Jackson said.

Mr. Kielmeyer said he could not comment on proposed terms.

“Both sides now are reviewing the piece, and dotting the i's and crossing the t’s. Obviously we have an agreement in principle,” he said. “They are going through [it] now to make sure that everything’s correct.”

Contact Vanessa McCray at: vmccray@theblade.com or 419-724-6065.