WWU, faculty make progress toward union contract

Proposal will be discussed May 20

KIRA MILLAGE

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BELLINGHAM — Contract negotiations between Western Washington University and the faculty union may finally end next week after about a year and a half of discussion.

The bargaining teams met Monday and Tuesday this week and made “major progress” in areas important to the faculty, including salaries, teaching load and how grievances are handled.

The United Faculty of Western Washington’s bargaining team delivered a package proposal to the university administration’s team Tuesday night. The administration is looking over the proposal and it will be discussed at the next meeting between the two sides on May 20.

“We got some good work done yesterday (Tuesday) and we should be able to get it done” May 20, said Bill Lyne, the faculty union president. “I think it’s fair to say, some of the big philosophical impasses we were facing, we got past a lot of those yesterday.”

Lyne would not release details of the proposal since all of it is in limbo and may not be approved as is.

The teams are negotiating the first contract for the union, which was formed more than two years ago by faculty vote. In February, the bargaining teams agreed to bring in a mediator to help get the process finished before WWU President Karen Morse retires this summer.

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