ITEM 122-103-R0104
To:������������ Board of Regents
From:�������� Sue I. Hill, Director
����������������� Labor Relations and Personnel
RE:������������ Approval of Tentative Agreement with Helena Teachers� Union
Date:��������� January 15-16, 2004
Attached is a summary of the tentative agreement with the Helena Teachers� Union that covers the faculty at The University of Montana-Helena College of Technology.� The summary only shows the changes to the prior agreement.� The entire agreement can be accessed electronically at:� www.montana.edu/wochelp/collbarg/collbarg.html.
Sections 2.1 and 4.8 were modified to allow for an alternative calendar.� A new provision was added to Section 4.7 to require 5 days notification of tentative course assignments.� The probationary period prior to receiving tenure was lengthened by one year for newly hired faculty, and an option was included to allow up to 3 years of prior teaching service to be recognized toward tenure.� In the future, the search committee will be consulted, where practical, when it is deemed necessary to offer a recruitment adjustment and the union will be given written notice within 20 days of the award of any recruitment adjustment.� The dependent tuition waiver benefit was adopted in a memorandum of understanding that references Regent policy
This bargaining unit will receive an experience increment worth $0 in both 2003-04 and 2004-05.� The parties agreed to form a committee to explore alternatives to an experience driven salary model and to develop informational material to help faculty better understand the implications of such a salary model.� The only general salary increase besides promotions is a $500 increase on January 1, 2005.� Compensation for Department Chairs increased from $1800 to $2000 per fiscal year beginning in FY 2005.
The faculty voted down the first tentative agreement, the primary issue being the continuation of the experience increment.� A second settlement was reached with the help of State Mediator, Vicki Knudsen, after a lengthy, late night mediation session.� The faculty have since voted to accept the second tentative agreement.� I recommend approval of the tentative agreement with the Helena Teachers� Union.