Ohio University's chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees avoided a strike last night by approving the latest version of a new contract.
Local 1699 voted 446 to 48 for the proposed contract negotiators submitted yesterday afternoon. The union's current contract expired yesterday at 5:01 p.m. and members gave 10-day notice of a possible strike Feb. 22.
Under the contract members approved yesterday, AFSCME workers will not receive a pay increase in the first year of the three-year contract, but will receive a 1 percent increase the second year and a 1.75 percent increase the third. In addition, if another employee group receives a raise during that first year, the union will receive the same percentage pay increase.
Members will pay more for health insurance, but still less than other employee groups at OU. There will be no increase in premium costs in the first year of the contract, although members will pay a deductible. Premiums will increase 10 percent in the second year and 10 percent in the third year.
Union workers will also receive $150 for new uniforms each year.
In December, union members had asked to simply extend their current contract for another year. OU rejected that offer, offering instead an agreement that would last only through July and require union members to pay more in health insurance.
Local 1699 President Dave Logan said he was very gratified by the vote. Bill Sams, regional director for AFSCME Ohio Council 8 and a member of the negotiating team, credited the negotiating committee's work and the solidarity union members showed throughout the process.
We're very happy that we maintained a very solid contract
Sams said. The membership was relieved that we were able to maintain fundamental rights that we currently have.
Dodstil Dempsey Jr., a 14-year veteran of Dining Services, said he is pleased with the contract in general.
There are some things that I didn't want to see but I expected he said, referring to insurance increases. Overall I'm not dissatisfied with it. ... A strike wouldn't have been good for either side.
In a university-wide e-mail, OU President Roderick McDavis said he was pleased the school and the union were able to find a compromise before the deadline and thanked both negotiating teams for their efforts.
Their dedicated work yielded an agreement that honors the valued contributions of our employees while recognizing the challenges of the fiscal environment the university faces
McDavis wrote.
Logan said the union is dedicated to serving OU students and that he looks forward to working with the administration in the future.
It's been a long
tough negotiation and it's been very intense
but the union stands ready to work with the administration to solve the problems of Ohio University
he said.
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Emily Grannis
