By Andrew Cluley
Ypsilanti, MI – An independent fact-finder has sided largely with Eastern Michigan University's administration on health care issues, and with the university's faculty on salary issues.
Fact-finder Ben Kerner's final report was released Monday. A formal negotiating session with the EMU faculty union and EMU's administration is set for Friday.
In the report, Kerner says the recommendations are designed to be taken together as a package. He says some of the recommendations will not be palatable to one side, while other recommendations will be unpalatable to the other side.
EMU's faculty has been working without a new contract since September, and went on strike for a week at the start of the fall semester. Salary and health-care costs have been the main unresolved issues.