EIU Media Relations

UPI Ratifies Four-Year Contract with EIU Board of Trustees

The Eastern Illinois University chapter of University Professionals of Illinois has completed ratification of a four-year contract with the EIU Board of Trustees.

Ninety-five percent of the UPI Local 4100 voters were in favor of accepting the contract.

UPI members started voting Tuesday, and ballots were due by noon Friday. The president received formal notification Friday that the UPI membership had approved the deal.

“I think it’s a good contract, and I’m pleased to have reached an agreement,” said Robert Wayland, chief negotiator for EIU. “I appreciate all of the hard work put in by members of both the administrative and the UPI bargaining teams.”

The EIU BOT approved the contract, pending union ratification, at a special meeting Wednesday. The special meeting was held in an effort to allow pay increases to be included on faculty members’ November paychecks, the last they will receive in 2006.

The move avoided negative 2007 tax consequences faculty members would have seen if the pay increases had been included in the December paychecks, which are to go out in early January.

EIU President Lou Hencken once again expressed his gratitude toward the staffs of the payroll and human resources offices for their extra time and effort in making sure the paycheck changes can take effect in November.

The contract, which is retroactive to Sept. 1, 2006, and will expire Aug. 31, 2010, provides a total of 23.5 percent in pay increases over the four-year period.

Its cumulative effect on the EIU budget is as follows: year one, $2.6 million; year two, $2.2 million; year three, $2.3 million; and year four, $2.2 million.

The contract provides across-the-board annual increases of 3.25 percent, 3 percent, 3 percent, and 3.5 percent, respectively.

In addition, the university is offering market equity increases in each of the first three years of the contract: 2.5 percent, 1.15 percent and 1.15 percent, respectively.

The contract also includes money set aside for promotions and merit increases.