March 07, 2011

SIUC, Civil Service union talks reach impasse

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Bargaining teams for Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the Association of Civil Service Employees (ACsE) met for a second round of mediation talks today (March 7). Unfortunately, despite the University’s continued and best efforts to reach an agreement that would achieve both the necessary cost savings while minimizing the impact on our employees and preventing permanent layoffs in this fiscal year, no agreement could be reached with the ACsE group.

In a final attempt to reach agreement, the University offered two different contract options to ACsE; a three-year agreement or a one-year agreement (see details below). The ACsE bargaining team refuses to take either option to its membership for a vote. Therefore, because of the state of impasse between the parties, the University re-issued the one-year agreement as its last, best and final offer. The University has given the ACsE until 8 p.m. on March 10 to accept and ratify either one of the contract proposals. If neither agreement is accepted and ratified, the University will implement the terms of its last, best, and final one-year proposal, effective on March 11, 2011.

The Association continued to make the following demands during mediation:

a)Full “Fair Share” -- This provision would require all non-dues paying employees covered by the contract to pay a fee to ACsE for representing them. This fee would be equivalent to the dues amount paid by union members.

b)Sick Leave -- Employees covered by the contract would be given a full 12 days sick leave on July 1 of their second and subsequent years of employment, rather than accrue 12 days over the course of a year.

c)Vacation -- Accelerated vacation accrual schedule that results in a rate of 28 days per year after 14 years of employment, rather than 28 days after 17 years of employment.

d)Vacation -- Employees would be allowed to use up to five days of vacation without supervisor approval.

e) Health insurance -- For employees on less than a 12-month appointment, the University would pay for the employee portion of insurance costs during summer months.

f)Minimum staffing levels -- Guarantee of no loss of bargaining unit positions until the number of ACsE represented employees reaches 500.

g) Layoffs -- No temporary layoffs during the life of the agreement.

h) Bumping -- Employees subject to layoff would be allowed to bump the least senior employee in their classification OR in any other classification for which the employee is qualified.

i)Wage Increases -- Wage increase equal to the amount granted to the SIUC Faculty Association, including any merit or equity increases.

j)Parking Decals -- Employees covered by this agreement shall receive, free of charge, a Blue or Gold parking decal.

k) Unpaid Days -- No unpaid days off for the current fiscal year (FY 2011).

l)Unpaid Days -- Any unpaid days off negotiated in future years would be repaid by the University in the subsequent year.

The University maintained its position that these proposals are unacceptable in the current economic setting. After several hours of discussions with no movement from either side, the University presented the following proposals to the ACsE bargaining team:

Option # 1: A three (3) year agreement that includes but not limited to:

a)Layoffs -- Guarantee of no layoffs for the remainder of the current fiscal year (FY 2011) in exchange for acceptance of four (4) unpaid days (March 15, April 22, May 27, and June 20).

b)Layoffs -- Language that clarifies that the impact of any future layoffs will be bargained with the Association.

c)Sick Days -- Language granting access to the provisions of Public Act 92-0599, which allows for the payment of unused sick days over a two (2) year period upon submission of an irrevocable notice to retire.

d)Wage Increases – No wage increase for FY 2011 and across-the-board wage increases equal to the amounts granted by the Board of Trustees to Civil Service range employees for FY 2012 and 2013.

e)Parking Decals -- Employees allowed to purchase their parking decals over an eight (8) pay period beginning July 1 of each year rather than two (2) pay periods in October / November.

Option # 2: A one (1) year agreement that includes but not limited to:

a)Layoffs -- Guarantee of no layoffs for the remainder of the current fiscal year (FY 2011) in exchange for acceptance of four (4) unpaid days (March 15, April 22, May 27, and June 20).

b)Layoffs -- Language that clarifies that the impact of any future layoffs will be bargained with the Association.

c)Wage Increase -- No wage increase for FY 2011.