The agreement between The University of Vermont and the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America, Local 267 (“UE”) has been ratified by the UE membership, according to a statement released Friday evening by UVM. The union represents service and maintenance workers at UVM. The new deal includes an overall pay increase of 8 percent over three years.
“The new contract between the UE and UVM is a fair and mutually satisfactory one, and we are pleased that the membership has now completed the ratification process,” said Wanda Heading-Grant, Vice President for Human Resources, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. “As I have said before, our service and maintenance workers are essential to the successful operation of the University. Completing the bargaining process represents yet another positive step in our relationship.”
The contract with UE calls for an overall pay increase of 8 percent over three years, which breaks down as follows: FY15: 2.25% (retroactive to July 1); FY16: 2.75%; FY17: 3%. To maintain parity, non-represented staff and non-represented faculty also will receive an upward adjustment of 0.25% for FY 2015 retroactive to July 1. This does not include faculty in the College of Medicine, who are compensated on a separate funding formula.
As announced earlier this year, a two-year contract agreement was reached in August between the University and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents police officers, service officers,and dispatchers. The Teamsters FY15 increase also will be adjusted to 2.25 percent retroactive to July 1, 2014.
The complex array of compensation changes for multiple groups of employees will appear in paychecks within the calendar year.
Bargaining continues through formal mediation with United Academics regarding a contract for those full-time faculty represented by the union.