Letter to UEA - October 17, 2005

Gary Westorff
Field Representative
University Education Association
639 E Central Entrance
Duluth, MN 55811

Dear Gary:

I am responding to your letter of October 5, 2005. It appears from your letter and our subsequent phone conversation that UEA contends the current UEA collective bargaining agreement automatically covers faculty employed at the Crookston campus.

Your characterization of the University’s position as requiring the parties to bargain a totally new collective bargaining agreement is incorrect. We do not agree that the current contract negotiated for the faculty on the Duluth campus currently or automatically covers the faculty on the Crookston campus. We are, however, open to negotiating certain language that exists in that agreement, and we did, in fact agree to some language that exists in the current contract for Duluth faculty, in our negotiating meetings prior to August 31, 2005.

We appreciate the fact that you identified nine areas which UEA would like to negotiate. Unfortunately the letter also contains UEA’s repeated assertion that it is willing to negotiate on other language only if both parties agree that a section of the current Duluth contract needs to be modified. Therein lies the fundamental difference: We do not believe that either party can veto negotiation on any particular term and condition of employment. There is no need to agree on what we will negotiate; good faith bargaining requires that all terms and conditions of employment be on the table.

Once again, we propose that the parties return to the bargaining table to negotiate the terms and conditions of employment for the Crookston faculty.

Sincerely,

Patti Dion
Director, Employee Relations

cc: Regents of the University Of Minnesota
Robert Bruininks, President
Rebecca Hamblin
Shelley Carthen Watson
Charles Casey
Kathryn Martin

bcc: Carol Carrier
Kathy Brown
Robert Jones
Deb Cran
Joe Massey

The University of Minnesota , Crookston (UMC) is one of four campuses in the University of Minnesota land grant system.  UMC is a coordinate campus that provides a unique approach through applied and polytechnic baccalaureate education, research, and service.

UMC is an equal opportunity educator and employer