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MARQUETTE, Mich.—Northern Michigan University’s administrative/professional union, UAW Local 2178, has ratified a new three-year contract by an 89-22 vote. The union is composed of about 180 members. Its previous contract expired Oct. 1, 2009.

The agreement includes a one-time $425 payment to each member this year and a 1.5 percent across-the-board base salary increase the second year. There is no increase in the third year, although it allows for either party to reopen the wage discussion in the final year.

Other changes to the contract include a reduction in the retirement rate for new employees hired after Oct. 1, an increase for both employee and university contributions to health care and an clarification on eligibility to the university’s household member health care plan.

 The contract also initiates the start of an implementation process for moving from an internal classification system to a market-based system based on comparisons with similar positions at peer institutions.

The administrative/professional union had voted down two previous proposals. The version ratified today requires final approval by the NMU Board of Trustees at its meeting in September.