MTA Photo
President Rick Doud has announced on behalf of himself, Vice President Joe LeBlanc, Team Chair, and the day contract bargaining team, that the Governor has submitted a funding bill which includes the community college faculty/professional staff contract, the state college contract, and various other public employee packages.
Thus, the Governor has acted in a timely fashion on our contract.
Dear Colleagues,
The following is the first of what we hope will be a short-lived series of weekly reports on the contract funding process.
On Tuesday, the legislature passed a supplemental budget, including more than $100 million in collective bargaining agreements finalized by Gov. Romney in recent months. The House has publicly committed to passing another supplemental budget in October. The latter obviously creates an opportunity and potential vehicle to fund our and other state employee contracts working their way through the pipeline.
Our contract just arrived on the Governor's desk last week, but we can report the following news with more to follow in future updates:
While no statewide member action is requested at this time, I ask that chapter leaders ask their college president and chair of the board of trustees to contact Eric Kriss and the Governor's Office right away.
Regarding Work to Rule, our Holyoke and Middlesex chapters have recently voted to go off WTR. Earlier this semester, Bunker Hill voted to stay on WTR until the contract is sent to the legislature. On Tuesday, a motion to reconsider this motion was defeated, so BHCC remains on WTR.
In closing, all of us share your anger and frustration. We are doing everything in our power to expedite a process that is complex and challenging under the current guidelines of our collective bargaining law, Chapter 150E. We are working everyday to bring you good news on the contract funding front as soon as possible.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc
MCCC Day Bargaining Team Chair and the rest of the Day Team
On Monday at noon as promised, union and management officials met to sign the 2003-2006 Agreement at the BHE in Boston.
We expect the Agreement and the cost item request to be sent to the Governor on Wednesday or Thursday. We will let you know when we confirm that this has happened and will keep you informed as the funding process moves along over the next several weeks.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc, chair
and the rest of the Day Bargaining Team
MTA Photo
After meeting with the BHE's Peter Tsaffaras last week, the following timetable was been set for the formal execution of the recently-ratified 2003-2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Bargaining Team recommends that the union take no action to go off Work to Rule until we confirm the contract funding package has gone to Eric Kriss and Gov. Romney during the week of Sept. 12.
At its August 26 meeting, the MCCC Board of Directors reaffirmed its support for Work to Rule until the contract is properly executed and sent to the Governor. The board will revisit the WTR issue at its Sept. 16 meeting.
The Day Bargaining Team thanks you for your continued support. We will stay in touch as the Agreement is formally executed and the funding package is sent to the Governor and then to the legislature.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc, chair, and the Day Bargaining Team: Secretary Phyllis
Barrett, Phil Mahler, Rick Doud, Kathleen McDonough, Gail Stuart and
Katie D'Urso, MTA consultant.
For statewide distribution...
Since the announcement of the ratification vote results on August 5, all parties have been working to expedite the preparation of documents to go to the Romney administration. Highlights follow:
At this time we are working to complete this phase of the process by Thursday, August 25. If the BHE meets this deadline, I will likely be recommending that chapters go off Work to Rule for the fall semester.
One final note: So far this year, the Governor has acted responsibly in submitting contracts to the legislature for funding. If we have any indication that he will not submit our contract within the 45 days allowed by law, then WTR can be revisited and reinstated as necessary.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc
MCCC
Note: More materials will be added to this site if they seem warranted. Check back!
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Proposed Agreement |
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Executive Summary |
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Tables of current base salary values and point values, and proposed base salary values and point values. |
Table1 and Table 2 PDF Format 32 Kb |
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Worksheet 1: Carefully follow the directions to compute your minimum dollar salary increase in the proposed agreement. |
Worksheet 1 PDF Format 28 Kb |
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Worksheet 2: Carefully follow the directions, after using Worksheet 1, to compute your salary at the end of the term of the proposed agreement (which is next June!) Note: This one requires determining how many points you have. |
Worksheet 2 PDF Format 28 Kb |
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Worksheet to Calculate How Many Points You Have |
Calculate Your Points Excel 64 Kb |
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Frequently Asked Questions - Right now, just about points |
Dear MCCC Day-Unit Faculty and Professional Staff,
The MCCC Day Bargaining Team recommends that you vote to ratify the 2003-2006 tentative Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the "Agreement"). We do so without reservation.
The MCCC Board of Directors voted unanimously to support ratification of this agreement.
The Agreement, hammered out after years of preparation and research and months of negotiations, represents the best we can do in a challenging and often hostile environment. Since 2003, the Romney administration has been harsh and shameless in its treatment of unionized state employees. We have fought for the best financial gains possible for our members while preserving the integrity of the classification system. We have battled for gains for our unit professional staff and part-time members. We have pressed to raise the minimum and maximum salary levels to maintain equity and allow our colleges to better recruit and retain junior faculty and professional staff members.
The Day Team's overriding goal was, and is, to preserve the integrity of the classification salary system while working to make the system more equitable. Prior to the institution of the classification system in the 1999-2002 Agreement, members did not move "up" the salary ladder. Instead, across-the-board percent increases shortchanged junior members and exacerbated internal inequities.
Facing a June 10 deadline, with a threatened loss of even more "retroactivity", we demanded payment for all earned points. This Agreement provides payment of points for 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Payment for the points begins April 1, 2005. The Romney administration opposes and refuses to submit to the legislature all contracts that include retroactive financial settlements. No state employee contract settled this year includes retroactive monies.
By avoiding across-the-board percent salary increases and moving in the direction of equal dollar gains for all unit members, this Agreement tightens the range of salaries, and gives a boost to those members at the lowest end of the salary structure. The points feature of the classification system works to do this.
The following highlights are worth noting from the financial package:
The work of the Certification & Licensures Committee is acknowledged in this Agreement, but the results are not yet funded. No funds are available to implement this study at this time, but by assigning point values, we are laying the groundwork to achieve this in the next Agreement. The long-delayed work on professional development will now proceed as well.
The Agreement achieves significant gains for professional staff. The team fought for salary equity adjustments, an equalization of points values to be paid the same as faculty for points due in 2005 and 2006. The adjustments will be paid on base. By paying the adjustments, the Employer is acknowledging problems with the classification system as it affects professional staff. The Agreement gives professional staff credit for part-time experience, providing them another measure of equity with faculty.
Day Part-Time Day Unit Members receive a 5 percent salary increase in this Agreement. For the first time, our part-time hourly day unit members will receive a benefit of paid leave. This leave is on a one-year trial basis, but it opens the door for improving their working conditions.
Language changes to Articles 2, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 20 are outlined in supporting materials contained elsewhere on this web page.
Your requested ratification of this contract is just the beginning. After the Agreement is, hopefully, ratified, MCCC leaders will be working hard this summer to expedite the formal signing of the Agreement with the Chancellor as well as the costing out by the BHE and Ways and Means Committees. The contract has been approved by A&F Secretary Eric Kriss. We will be lobbying the Governor to submit the Agreement's funding package to the legislature shortly after it reaches his desk.
The tentative contract represents hard fought compromise. It represents the best financial package possible in an era when the Commonwealth is using $600 million in stabilization funds to balance its budget. We have strived to do the right thing for all our members and are asking you to vote "YES" on the enclosed ballot.
In solidarity,
The Day Bargaining Team
Chair Joe LeBlanc; Secretary Phyllis Barrett; members Phil Mahler, Kathleen McDonough and Gail Stuart; ex officio member Rick Doud; and Katie D'Urso, MTA consultant and team spokesperson.
June 24, 2005