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With Eight-Year Contract, WSU Remains A Closed Shop For Professors

February 27, 2013, 6:54 AM

Wayne State University faculty members have a tentative eight-year contract -- reached a month before the state right-to-work law reshapes the labor landscape.

Agreements in effect March 27 won't be affected by that law until they expire, Niraj Warikoo explains in the Detroit Free Press.

Ari Adler, spokesman for Republican Speaker of the House Jase Bolger, said the contract at Wayne State "appears to be an attempt to circumvent the law."

Under the deal announced Tuesday, which awaits a union vote and approval by WSU's Board of Governors, all faculty members will pay dues to the American Association of University Professors-American Federation of Teachers, Warikoo explains.

Under the right-to-work law, employees have the right to opt out of unions and not pay dues. But under the new WSU faculty contract, that would not be possible for the next eight years; it would be continue to remain as what is known as a "closed shop."

Negotiators agreed on the agreement a 2.5% raise per year, about half merit-based.

"This is a fair contract," said professor Charles Parrish, president of the union, which represents about 1,950 employees.


Read more:  Detroit Free Press


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