YSU ratifies collective bargaining agreement with administrative staff union

Youngstown State University trustees met on Tuesday to ratify the three-year collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Association of Professional / Administrative Staff (APAS) Union.

The three-year contract will be effective from now until June 30 2027. APAS Chief Negotiator David Mouse tells 21 News the vote was "overwhelmingly in favor" of ratifying the new contract.

"We feel great coming out of the meeting room as negotiations concluded. We felt the same from the administration team, but I can't speak for them certainly," Mouse said.

YSU President Bill Johnson tells 21 News he's proud of the negotiators on both sides of the table and the fact that everyone walked out of the room smiling is a "demonstration of the quality and the character of the people sitting around the table."

According to a press release, the agreement includes a 1.75% salary pay raise and a $300 flat increase to the employees' base salary in the first year and a 1% base salary pay raise in the second in third years with $550 and $825 flat increases respectively.

In the third year, employees will also have the option to voluntarily cash out 40 hours of accrued vacation.

In addition, APAS employees will begin to pay a 19% employee contribution for health care effective August 1.

The APAS union consists of a total of 186 employees.