Wayne State University, faculty reach agreement on new three-year contact

Wayne State University and the Wayne State Chapter of the American Association of University Professors-American Federation of Teachers (AAUP-AFT Local 6075) - also known as the Wayne Academic Union - have reached an agreement on a new three-year contract in what negotiators from both sides of the table said was a respectful and professional negotiation.

Faculty and academic staff will receive across the board compensation increases of about 12% over the three years. Members' raises will vary by salary band with lower-salaried employees receiving larger increases. This year, the average raise will be 5%, with average increases of 3.5% and 2.9% in years two and three of the contract.

The new contract was ratified on Aug. 21 by 95% of union membership who voted.

"Our world-class faculty and academic staff are the reason that Wayne State is able to provide our students with a top-tier academic experience, and the university is making a historic investment that recognizes them for their outstanding work," said Wayne State President Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D. "This contract also underscores our commitment to provide our students with the most innovative instruction available at an affordable cost, and this agreement succeeds on both counts."

The faculty and academic staff also made gains in areas related to increased raises for promotions, memorializing the university's flexible work arrangement program for academic staff in the contract and an agreement to evaluate and improve the university's merit system.

"We've reached this agreement through constructive collaboration and our shared commitment to supporting world class education and research in the heart of Detroit," said WSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie Lauzon Clabo, Ph.D. "In addition to significant investment in our outstanding faculty and academic staff, we have established a productive framework for continuing cooperation on important university issues moving forward. I would like to thank Senior Vice Provost Boris Baltes who served as the university's chief negotiator and the entire negotiating teams on both sides of this process."

The new contract runs through June 30, 2027.

"This contract values and strongly rewards our faculty and academic staff," said Pramod Khosla, chief Wayne Academic Union negotiator and professor of nutrition and food science. "We do want to acknowledge that the administration bargaining team was receptive to our concerns and negotiated in good faith with us to achieve this agreement."

New Wayne Academic Union president and Professor of Classics and Latin Jennifer Sheridan Moss said, "Our membership is very pleased that our outstanding bargaining team was able to negotiate a contract that reflects the hard work and dedication of our faculty and the professionals on our academic staff. In addition to fair compensation and the flexible work arrangements that our academic staff deserves, the contract enshrines academic freedom, the very bedrock of any university. The faculty and academic staff now look forward to doing the core work of the university next week: teaching and guiding students and creating knowledge."

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