Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1948 [PAGE 1060]

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1948]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

I059

Association and the assignment of Athletic Association funds for this purpose; I further recommend that if it appears desirable to transfer the option on the property at 206 West Vermont Street to the Athletic Association, this be authorized by the Board of Trustees.

On motion of Mr. Livingston, this purchase was authorized as recommended, the action of the Board of Directors of the Athletic Association in authorizing the purchase of a house for rental to a member of its staff and assigning funds for the purpose was approved, and the transfer to the Athletic Association of the option on the property at 206 West Vermont Street was authorized if found desirable, by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Fornof, Mrs. Holt, Mr. Livingston, Mr. McKelvey, Mr. McLaughlin, Dr. Meyer, Mr. Nickell, Mr. Williamson; no, none; absent Mr. Davis, Mr. Green, Dr. Luken.

POLICY AND RULES RELATING TO COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF NONACADEMIC EMPLOYEES (6) At the March meeting, the Board discussed informally a proposed revision of the Policy and Rules Relating to Compensation and Working Conditions of Nonacademic Employees. The point at issue is the clarification of the policy on prevailing rates. It may be helpful to consider these questions: (1) What is meant by "prevailing rates" ? (2) How closely in time should changes in prevailing rates be followed by changes in wages p a i d — f o r example, immediately (as is now the case), at the beginning of a fiscal year, or at the beginning of a biennium? (3) Under any plan, what provision can be made in the budget to take care of extraordinary changes in wage rates? As I follow the decisions and interpretations of the Board, I feel that we are committed to a two-fold policy: (1) to maintain a high wage standard equal, if not superior to, wages paid for similar work in the community and (2) to maintain the principle of conservation of State funds. We want to avoid both a shortchanging of employee groups and a charge of wastefulness of University funds.

After discussion, and on motion of Mr. Williamson, the Board reaffirmed its support of the principle of paying the prevailing wages as defined in The Policy and Rules Relating to Compensation and Working Conditions of Nonacademic Employees (effective July 1, 1945), and the appropriate University officers were directed to initiate such negotiations with employee groups as may be necessary to bring into conformity with that policy any elements of the University wage policies which now deviate from it; and further, the principle of active participation by the University in negotiations which affect the University's interest was approved.

REQUEST FROM REPRESENTATIVE OF UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EMPLOYEES' U N I O N (7) At the meeting of the Board of Trustees on March 9, 1948, Mr. Park Livingston presented the following letter under date of March 2 which he had received from Mr. Sherdie C. Jones, representative of Local 698, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees: March 2, 1948 Mr. Park Livingston, President Board of Trustees, University of Illinois Civic Opera Building, Twenty North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois

DEAR M R . LIVINGSTON:

Prolonged negotiation between Local No. 698 and the University of Illinois through the Office of Nonacademic Personnel over a period of eight months has failed to produce an agreement on wage rates for employees covered by the negotiations.