Faculty union members will vote on the administration’s final offer for an interim agreement in mid-September, and the faculty union president says the union’s executive council will not recommend whether voting members should approve it.

We unanimously agreed not to put any kind of spin on it and rather respect the autonomy of the membership and let them make up their own mind, Jim Sullivan said. We have no comment on whether it is favorable or unfavorable; the members will decide that.

Both the administration and faculty union have agreed not to disclose the contents of the agreement until after the faculty have viewed it. But William Capie, associate vice chancellor for Administration, has said the administration was using the interim agreement as a vehicle for providing faculty with salary increases before a master agreement has been reached.

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According to the SIUC Illinois Education Association/National Education Association web page (http://siuc-faculty-assoc.org) the union was seeking resolution on issues such as salary, shared decision making, representation on University committees, grievance procedures and staffing decisions.

Negotiations have been deadlocked since July, when faculty negotiators sought help from a federal mediator. The administration offered its final offer to the faculty union on Aug. 25.

The decision to allow the membership to vote on the interim agreement comes after a Thursday meeting in which about 50 members comprised of departmental representatives, executive council members and negotiating team members voted unanimously to let the membership decide.

Sullivan said the fact that it was a final offer influenced the decision.

We knew we could come back with a counterproposal if we wished, but we thought it was not a desirable strategy to engage in at this time, he said. Our eyes are on the main event, which is negotiating the main contract proposal.

The date for the vote is tentatively set for Sept. 17, but Sullivan said the vote may be sooner and that the membership will be informed of any changes. Only union members can vote on the proposal.

Sullivan said a copy of the interim agreement is being distributed to all 740-tenured and tenure-track faculty it represents. He said the agreement will include a letter explaining the effect of a positive or negative vote. Sullivan would not comment on either effect.

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There is ample time now when individual faculty, members and non-members alike, can speak to whomever they wish, including leadership, Sullivan said.

Sullivan said as the association moves to negotiate the full contract, it will be observed by other institutions nationally.

What we are able to achieve here has the potential for having enormous impact for institutions across the country, Sullivan said.

It behooves faculty to know that the association is working toward advancement of the profession and not the fulfillment of some stereotypical union agenda.

Capie said regardless of the outcome of the vote, the administration will begin looking to complete a comprehensive master contract. He said if approved and signed by both parties, it must then be approved by the SIU Board of Trustees.

Either way we go on to that position, he said. If they accept the offer, it’s good and there are no barriers in the path in moving toward a master agreement.

If they reject it, we still have this lurking, the fact that we were unable to get a consensus, but either way it’s important to move forward.