General Assembly candidates hear issues from University of Missouri workers

Members of the University of Missouri and its hospital workers union want candidates for state office to put their weight behind labor issues members say they are facing from university administration.

Laborer's International Union of North America Local 955 hosted a forum Saturday with the candidates at Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia on Shephard Boulevard.

There were four key issues: changes in the fee structure for parking garages; paid time off and pensions; prevailing wages and apprenticeship for construction projects; and a candidate commitment on the university budget.

Missouri House District 47 candidates Democrat incumbent Adrian Plank and Republican John Potter; House District 50 candidates Jeff Basinger and Gregg Bush, both Democrats; Missouri Senate District 19 Democratic candidate Stephen Webber; House District 45 Democratic incumbent candidate Kathy Steinhoff; and House District 46 Democratic incumbent candidate David Tyson Smith attended. Invitations were sent to Republican Senate District 19 candidate James Coyne, who did not respond, and Republican House District 50 candidate Joshua Ray Blakeman, who declined to attend, per information provided by the union.

A forum with House District 44 candidates still is scheduled later this month, but a location still to be determined.

Top issues

While there was discussion on the four issues, the top two leaned toward parking garage fees and the union asking candidates to sign a declaration that:

• They only will vote for University funding when there is a written commitment from University of Missouri President and Columbia campus Chancellor Mun Choi to bargain with Local 955 and remove Article 10 from the understanding of policies;
• Will commit to forming a University Worker Caucus among Missouri General Assembly elected officials, which will have monthly meetings when the Assembly is in session and at times when not in session;
• Will communicate consistently about University issues that may affect worker wages, benefits and working conditions; and
• Will sponsor or co-sponsor legislation to make the University pay prevailing wage and not harm the region's workers.

Bush and Plank were the only candidates to sign the declaration. The sticking point that prevented other candidates from signing was the first item, since that would be part of state budget approval. A portion of Article 10, per union-provided information, states that the university could unilaterally change its internal policies at any time without a negotiation with the union.

University spokesperson Christian Basi addressed issues brought up at Saturday's forum Monday morning with the Tribune. Employees and any guests to the university pay for parking, which provides the money to maintain parking lots and parking structures, Basi said, adding employees have to make a request if they want to pay the parking fee as a payroll deduction.

Regarding the changes to parking fees and ability of employees to get work, the union and other provided information said employees are seeing significant monthly increases and are suggested to park at lots further from their place of employment and shuttle in.

The new parking plan does not go into effect until January , switching from an income-based to demand-based model, Basi said.

The model change does increase increase monthly parking costs for employees who make $47,000 or less annually from roughly $21-$25 per month to $60 per month at the Tiger Avenue garage close to the hospital. This is why the university has suggested employees could park for $5 per month in other lots and shuttle in once the new parking plan goes into effect, Basi said.

More: University of Missouri union workers oppose phase-out of Printing Services, seek reversal

The Tiger Line shuttle service currently only operates from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., but the university is working to provide 24/7 shuttle service starting in January, he added, for "health care staff with additional support for select locations as needed," as noted in the updated parking plan.

There are $100 per month reserved parking spots, which typically are paid for by MU leadership team members at parking lots or at the Tiger Avenue garage, Basi said.

In regard to Article 10, the university always is willing to meet with union representatives about policies, but that policies must be representative of all university employees, Basi said, adding he doesn't see changes to Article 10 happening at this time. Not all university employees are or can be part of Local 955, such as certain administrative roles.

More: University of Missouri System approves new paid time off model for staff starting in 2024

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on X, formerly Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: General Assembly candidates hear issues from University of Missouri workers