Iowa Central contract negotiations start
College, unions begin bargaining sessions
The first sessions of contract negotiations between Iowa Central Community College and two of the unions that represent its employees were held Thursday morning and afternoon.
The two unions, the Iowa Central Community College Classified Employees Association, which represents non-teaching staff, and the Iowa Community Central Community College Education Association, which represents the teaching staff, met separately with representatives of the school.
During a contract negotiation, the union first presents an initial bargaining proposal. The representatives of the school then present their initial proposal. Following the presentation of proposals, both parties will then meet further in closed door sessions to negotiate final terms.
Thursday’s negotiations may be one of the first to take place since changes to Iowa’s collective bargaining law took effect earlier this week.
The Classified Employees Association presented a bargaining proposal that included an increase in the college’s monthly contribution to each employee’s insurance from the current $1,199 to $1,272.
Bob Overman, the attorney who represents Iowa Central, explained that the issue could not be discussed due to the recent changes in Iowa’s law concerning collective bargaining.
“We are confronted and covered by the code,” Overman said. “Because we are communicating after the effective date of the act, we’re covered by the new code and insurance is an item that’s excluded from the scope of the negotiations. If we would commence negotiations over insurance we would be in violation of the new law.”
Overman told the union that their current insurance terms would remain unchanged as they are part of their three- year contract.
“The language in that article will remain for the life of the three years.” he said.
Beth Meyers, director of the Iowa State Education Association UniServ Unit Two, said many are still trying to work through details of the law.
“We’re on working day four of this new law,” she said. “There are many things we’re still working through. It’s a big piece of legislation.”
The Classified Employees Association also proposed a wage increase of 4.35 percent. The previous increase was 3.5 percent.
The negotiation team for Iowa Central presented an initial contract proposal to the Classified Employees Association that would give each employee an hourly increase of 24 cents per hour.
The proposal also included a plan to set the base hourly rate from $11.10 to $11.60, depending on new hire’s experience, for custodians and $11.35 to $11.85 for secretaries.
The top hourly rate for custodians would rise to $16.40 from $16.10 and for secretaries, rise to $15.68 from $15.44.
In addition, the college also proposed a change to a job title.
Both sides will meet again Wednesday to negotiate.
The Education Association presented their initial proposal during a separate meeting in the afternoon.
Instructor John Hansen spoke for the four-member negotiation team.
“Basically,” he said. “This represents an $1,800 increase for the salaries across the board. It’s a 2.96 percent increase.”
The group had no other items in their proposal.
“This is all we have,” Hansen said. “”The state kind of made our job a little more difficult. There’s not a lot of guidance for what the law will do for a contract that’s in the middle of its cycle.”
Overman assured the negotiation team that Iowa Central would work with them.
“We’re going to be walking through this with you.” he said. “”We’re going to cross that bridge when we get there.”
The current full contract expires in 2019.
The union’s proposal would increase a doctorate level professor’s salary range to a minimum of $56,365 and a maximum of $72,745. It’s currently set at a minimum of $54,565 to a maximum of $70,945.
The college’s initial proposal include a smaller increase.
“We’re offering an increase in the base of $1,100,” Overman said. “That’s a 2.41 percent base salary increase.”
The school’s proposal would set a doctorate level professor’s minimum salary at $55,665 and the maximum at $72,045.
In addition, the school also proposed adding the vice president of instruction and the deans to the list of administrative personnel responsible for scheduling the time each employee is engaged in telephone, electronic or letter recruiting of potential students.
The Education Association and the college representatives met immediately after their initial proposal sessions to negotiate.