New contract moves on to final approval

MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University’s Administrative/Professional union (UAW Local 2178) has voted to approve a new 3-year contract by a 109-12 margin. The union represents 189 members.

The agreement includes base salary increases of 2% for each of the 3 years and an additional one-time payment of $400 during the first year. Employees would also be able to receive a cash bonus of 0.5% of base salary for each 1% increase in enrollment above the current academic year, as measured by student credit hours. A comparable incentive was included in the NMU American Association of University Professors (AAUP) contract ratified in June.

The A/P union will collaborate with other NMU employee groups in changing to a new health care plan with adjusted co-pays, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket expenses. All represented and non-represented NMU employees will be on the same plan effective on January 1st, 2016.

The newly approved contract still requires final approval by the NMU Board of Trustees. The term begins October 1st and runs through September 30th, 2018.