1. An Evolution to Collaborative Labor Relations
National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions (NCSCBHEP)
April 17, 2007, Baruch College Conference Center
Presenters:
Scott Sowulewski, Director, MSU Office of Employee Relations
Leo Sell, President, MSU Administrative Professional Association, MEA/NEA

2. HR Customers 4,098 faculty & academic staff
5,986 Full-time & Part-time
Support Staff
10 Bargain Units (Including Teaching
Assistants)
3,919 retirees
7,398 students
(with MSU health insurance)
14 colleges
690 departments
4,888 Temporary Employees
4,984 external applicants
16,000 Student Employees

3. IN THE BEGINNING - - - 1965 Public Employees Relations Act passed
Earliest bargaining unit, IATSE
Most others recognized in early 1970s
MSU Administrative-Professional later
Informal, meet & confer early 1970s
Organized & recognized early 1980s
Affiliated with Michigan & National Ed Association mid-80s
Bob’s comments on this slide

4. Adversarial to Collegial to Collaborative
Most early relationship based on classical/ traditional models of labor relations

5. A Progression…
Movement toward a collaborative, joint problem solving approach
Key changes in APA & MSU bargaining approach in 1990s (Target Specific Bargaining)
Interest-Based Bargaining
Helped lead toward new approach to bargaining health care and wages

6. Looking Back Years
In 1996 MSU and organized labor embarked on a unique initiative
MSU Administration and MSU Coalition of Labor Organizations began new era of Labor Management Relations at MSU
Health Care Bargained with a Coalition of Eight Unions

7. Coalition/MSU Collaborative Approach
The parties agree the cost of the health care plan and the funding available for wage increases are interrelated.
Employer and Union Interests are Aligned – Both Are Consumers

8. Coalition/MSU Collaborative Approach (Cont)
Promote health & disease prevention initiatives
Agree on “total compensation” cost measures
Improve cost & budgeting predictability
Align Employee/Union and Employer interests to promote payer & consumer partnership
Consider mutual ideas and options to achieve cost savings–Look for incentives to change “behavior”
Strong Union interest to avoid “cost shifting”

9. Memo of Understanding
Signed in 1996 between MSU and MSU Coalition of Labor Organizations
No coalition members can make health care proposals during independent bargaining
University maintains status quo premium sharing

10. Highlights of Second Agreement
4-year agreement ( )
3-tier Rx co-pays; Dual employed spouses
Wage increases tied to health care costs
No other “economic proposals during term of agreement

11. Wage Increases Tied to Health Care Costs

12. Highlights of Third Agreement
4-year agreement ( )
Added 4th tier to Rx plan for bio-tech drugs
Changed Office, Emergency and Rx co-pays to further incent consumerism
Revised wage scale

13. Measuring Success

14. Coalition Approach to: Labor Management Relations
Importance of Coalition access to information
Strive to keep each other informed – “No Surprises”
Importance of education and sharing of information
Joint effort to solve problems
All parties - Be open to the possibilities
Based on Trust – Trust is Fragile
Work in progress - Still evolving!!!

15. Labor relations does not have to be what you see on TV, and is not at MSU
Moved from adversarial to relational
From confrontational to collaborative

16. Fundamentals Today Mutual respect Recognition of joint interests
A commitment to problem prevention and problem solving at the lowest level possible
Requires a commitment at all levels of the University

18. Lessons Learned Joint effort in obtaining Administration’s buy in
Importance of Coalition of Labor Organization’s access to information (from University and vendors)
Importance of education
Allow plenty of time
All parties—be open to the possibilities

19. A brief humor break.

24. Coalition Approach: Conclusions
Collaborative Labor-Management Approaches can Yield Effective Results
Labor and management both have resources that can be brought to bear (AEPC)
Continued Collaboration is an Effective Strategy For Joint Labor- Management Issues
Reduced Public Funding & Soaring Health Care Costs Changing Traditional Labor/Management Relations
Cooperation Makes Sense – Ingham County Coalition, City of Grand Rapids Coalition, MUCH, AEPC

25. Questions/Discussion