Fact

Negotiations between the State of Montana and MPEA do NOT cover employees of the University System. During these negotiations, MPEA is representing only union members employed by other State agencies (e.g. Department of Corrections, Department of Labor & Industry, Department of Transportation, etc). These negotiations are legally separated from those held between MPEA and the Montana University System. Even those MPEA is the same union which represents some University System staff members, they are different bargaining units with different collective bargaining agreements. No management representative from the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education or any campus of the University System has ever attended negotiating sessions between MPEA and the State of Montana, nor will the Governor's Office representative permit such attendance. An employee member of MPEA from the University System has historically been allowed to attend the negotiating sessions for informational purposes only. Close Window