YSU STRIKE Faculty to vote on contract tonight

Students are to monitor local news outlets for class cancellations or call (330) 941-2222.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Students at Youngstown State University will have to wait until at least this evening to learn if classes at the university will start as scheduled Monday.
Members of the YSU chapter of the Ohio Education Association were slated to vote on a tentative contract agreement with the university Saturday but postponed the vote until today, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The Internal Affairs Committee of the university board of trustees approved a resolution earlier Saturday accepting the terms of the agreement.
Bob Hogue, chief spokesman for the OEA, said members of the bargaining unit overwhelmingly wanted more time to review the agreement.
He said the tentative agreement was reached late in the evening Friday and many members did not have time to review it in its entirety.
What students should do
University spokesman Ron Cole said university officials are still hoping to have agreements with both unions by the start of classes Monday. He said university officials are asking students to watch for announcements of canceled classes.
"We remain hopeful that contracts can be settled with both bargaining units tomorrow so classes can start Monday," he said. "If there is a need to cancel classes, that will be announced by 6 p.m. Sunday."
Cole said university officials are asking students to monitor local news outlets for class cancellations or call (330) 941-2222. He said students can also tune in to WYSU-FM radio for updates.
Hogue would not say what the terms of the tentative agreement are, but a university Web site spelled out terms of the tentative agreement.
John Habat, vice president of administration, the three-year agreement calls for bargaining unit members to receive 3 percent the first year and 3.5 percent in each of the two remaining years.
Other provisions
The Web site says doctor visits, under the terms of the new contract, will move from a $5 co-pay per visit to $15 per visit.
Single employees will also pay 0.75 percent of their base salary toward health insurance premiums. Those employees on the family plan will pay 1.5 percent of their base salary toward health care premiums. The total cannot exceed 10 percent of the total premium cost for either plan.
The agreement says employees will pay $2, $17 and $32 for generic, formulary and nonformulary prescriptions, respectively. Those who participate in the three-month mail-in program will pay $3, $25 and $48.
The university and representatives of the Association of Classified Employees, the other striking union, were still in negotiations as of Vindicator press time Saturday night.