Roxbury takes it to the Governor - Nov
6 Quinsigamond tells the BHE - Feb 17 Springfield Technical: "Fighting Mad"
Faculty Rallies - Apr 26 Bristol March of Shame - Apr 27 North Shore Day of Shame - Apr 27 Bunker Hill tells the BHE - Apr 28 Massasoit Day of Shame - Apr 27 Holyoke Card Signing - Apr 28 Bristol Chapter - Apr 28 Greenfield Students Strike - May 3
Board endorses the
settlement
Full MCCC and BHE/College Demands
PDF File (explain
pdf)
Click
here to download this update.
President Doud reports that on June 17 the MCCC Board of Directors, by a unanimous vote, passed a motion recommending the new day Agreement be ratified by the membership. Details of the new Agreement will be on our website by Friday, June 24. Ratification voting will take place in July, via a home mailing. More details will follow.
For statewide distribution...
At 3:20 p.m. on June 8, both Teams shook hands to mark the completion
of successfully negotiating a tentative agreement for a new three
year collective bargaining agreement.
At 12:10 p.m. on June 10, Management's Chief Negotiator Peter
Tsaffaras and I initialed a six page summary overview of the
Agreement. Full details of the Agreement will be presented at the
June 17 MCCC Board of Directors meeting to be followed by a complete
description of the Agreement to be mailed to members in the
ratification vote to be held (tentatively) at a TBA period in July.
Also look for coverage in the next issue of the MCCC News.
If the contract is ratified - the MCCC's Day Bargaining Team
recommends that the membership approve the agreement - the
process will continue with a formal signing of the Agreement with the
Chancellor. Costing out will be done by the BHE (within 30
days) and forwarded to the Governor, who will have up to 45 days to
submit the funding package to the legislature.
Highlights of the financial package follow:
- Payment of the 2003, 2004, 2005 points retroactively to April 1,
2005
- Payment of the 2006 points ahead of schedule on Oct. 1, 2005
- The package also includes an equalization of the points for all
professional staff with faculty for the 2005 and 2006 points. Other
adjustments to the professional staff grid are also included in the
package.
- Minimum and maximum salary levels will be increased. Details about
this issue will be forthcoming as well as an explanation of what it
means to you.
- Worksheets will be given to faculty and staff to assist in figuring
out individual salary increases due in this contract.
- Part-time members will receive a 5 percent salary increase in
addition to a new clause providing them with a limited amount of
general purpose paid leave.
A full overview of the tentative Agreement will be provided at the
June 17 MCCC board of directors meeting.
The MCCC's Day Bargaining Team feels it has succeeded in negotiating
an Agreement that benefits all our members. Because the Agreement
pays points, the percentage increases are likely to be higher for
faculty and staff hired in the last few years after the original
classification study. Across the board increases would have been
rejected by the Romney administration and also would have widened the
salary gap between the "have's and have nots" in our union.
MCCC leaders will be spending much time this summer in organizing the
ratification process as well as pushing the BHE to cost out the
Agreement expeditiously so it can be sent to the Governor in less
than 30 days.
I look forward to working with you over the summer and beyond as we
address the many challenges facing our union.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc, Team Chair
and the Day Bargaining Team: Phyllis Barrett, Rick Doud, Phil Mahler,
Kathleen McDonough, Gail Stuart and MTA consultant Katie D'Urso
Friday,
April 29, 2005
From Joe LeBlanc, Team Chair: We had a productive meeting at QCC
on April 27. We presented language about a variety of Day Part-time
employee issues. The employer presented a new financial package. We
demanded to see the package in writing. Peter Tsaffaras promised to
do so at our next meeting. Several faculty gave presentations on the
impact of the fifth course load and other faculty issues. Their
presentations were professional and delivered with sensitivity, poise
and passion. Thanks to the following members for their
contribution to the negotiations process:
Meetings are scheduled for
May 11 at Quinsigamond and May 18 at Middlesex CC. Look for the next
Bargaining Update during the week of May 9.
April
25 Update, in PDF format, including
Figure 3. The update notes that figure 3 is on the web site, too.
Here it
is, pdf format.
Thursday,
March 17, 2005
After a day of contract negotiations yesterday, union representatives
met with the community college presidents executive committee
(Asquino/MWCC, Kurtinitis/QCC, Cowan/Middlesex, Schatzberg/CCCC and
Office of Community Colleges Director Jan Motta) to discuss our
2002-2003 contract funding. It was a productive, positive meeting
which resulted in the formation of a Joint Action Team which will
continue to function until the points/steps are funded.
Meeting highlights follow:
- The presidents agreed to sign a joint memorandum with the union to
be delivered to Chancellor Gill and BHE Chair Tocco. The memo will
urge that the BHE re-submit our 2002-2003 contract to the
Governor.
- The presidents are in the discussion stage about whether or not to
support the MFT-filed bill to amend Chapter 150E.
- The presidents are in the discussion stage about whether to request
legislatively an increase in their college line items in a
formula funding manner so to allow for points/steps to be paid out by
the colleges annually in the future.
- They are meeting with Gill and Tocco next week. The union will be
doing the same.
- They will be meeting with Speaker DiMasi over this issue next week.
We are setting up a similar meeting.
- We will jointly work on a letter writing campaign targeted at the
governor and the legislature at a time TBA.
- Both parties will meet with our lobbyists next week (tentatively
set for March 24 in Boston) to work on a script to be used in
lobbying for contract funding.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc
MCCC
Consider doing a "1000 Days of Shame" event or other local event as suggested by North Shore:
"The event will be held on Wednesday March 30, 8:30-12:30+. We intend to leaflet at doors, pass out flyers in class and have tables outside cafes, which are in prominent locations. At 12:15-12:30 there will be a rally with speakers (both Lynn and Danvers campuses). We are inviting some reps".
Like you, I was shocked and angered on Wednesday when the House of Representatives refused to override the Governor's veto of our points payments. Yes, we always knew that there was a potential of this happening because of the fact that our points legislation may have been in technical violation of Chapter 150e. However, we were given verbal assurances that the House would override the veto on our behalf. The fact the House twice passed this legislation lead us to believe the House would do the right thing and pay us the money owed to us. To then see the House leadership back off and refuse to override at the very last second before the final vote was outrageous.
As we move forward, we have definitely NOT given up on the possibility that the House and Senate could still pass legislation to fund our points. The leadership of the MCCC will be meeting very soon with the college Presidents to discuss possible strategies to achieve this result. In addition, the President's lobbyist, our lobbyist, and MTA lobbyists are also meting to find a potential solution. In the meantime I would urge everyone to call or email Speaker of the House DiMasi and let him know how angry and disappointed you are with his lack of leadership on this issue. Members can reach representative DiMasi at 617.722.2500, or via email at Rep.SalvatoreDiMasi@hou.state.ma.us.
For a long run solution, the MCCC is supporting legislation amending Chapter 150e that would limit the role of the Governor's office in collective bargaining. As for now, the MCCC will not give up until out April 1, 2003 points are paid. The point system is the foundation of the classification system. Whether it is through legislation, bargaining, or some other mechanism, we will prevail. After this unexpected setback, we will be working with all interested parties to develop a plan of action that will result in our points being paid. I expect the BOD to vote on and implement a plan of action at our March 25th meeting. Right now, please ask your members to contact the Speaker of the House DiMasi and let him know we are very unhappy with this lack of leadership.
In Solidarity.Rick Doud
This file is in pdf format.
Use the link above.
The Day Bargaining Team met
yesterday with the Employer at Quinsigamond CC. Peter Tsaffaras, BHE
Team Chair and Spokesman, distributed and explained their asking
package, a 3-page document. After a brief caucus, our Team asked
questions about the package and set-up our next two meetings: March
16 at Middlesex CC/Lowell and March 23 at QCC.
The meeting was conducted in a professional manner, and to date the
Employer is bargaining in good faith. Over the next several days, our
Team will be preparing a printed formal Negotiations Report, which
will be distributed electronically by late next week.
FYI, earlier this week, the MSCA (state college union) reached
tentative agreement with the BHE for 2004-2007.
The tentative agreement provides for a 3 percent per year across the
board increase for full-time members as well as a $500 to $700
"Special (merit-based) Performance Award" with different values
according to rank. Congratulations to President Pat Markunas and the
MSCA.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc, team chair,
and the MCCC Day Bargaining Team
To: MCCC Day Unit Members
From: Joe LeBlanc, MCCC Day Bargaining Team Chair
I spoke with Management's Bargaining Team Chair Peter Tsaffaras
yesterday. He said management would be unable to finish its asking
package in time for our scheduled Feb. 9 meeting. For that reason,
the meeting has been cancelled.
Tsaffaras said he will complete the package in time for our next
meeting on Feb. 23. He will also be presenting the package to the BHE
Chair Tocco, Chancellor Gill, the Presidents Labor Relations
Committee and management's bargaining team before our next
meeting.
It was a cordial conversation, but I stressed that we will not
tolerate additional delays. He said he was appreciative of our
understanding.
This postponement will delay the publication of our first formal
Negotiations Update until early March. This update will contain a
comprehensive overview of the union's and management's bargaining
packages.
The MCCC's Day Bargaining Team will meet with Monika Arntz of JBL
Associates on Feb. 14. The purpose of this meeting is to finish our
research in documenting current salaries and the 75th percentile from
states and community colleges included in the Classification Study.
Arntz will also train the Team and MCCC Research Coordinator
Hilaire Jean-Giles to update this data in the future.
Dear Day Unit Members,
The MCCC Day Bargaining Team met with the Employer on Wednesday, Jan.
19 at 10 a.m. at Middlesex CC/Lowell. Team spokesperson and MTA
consultant Katie D'Urso presented the union's demand package. While
this package includes all major issues and items researched and
agreed upon over the last several years, the Team reserves the right
to add proposals as is necessary in future meetings.
After a caucus, management team members asked several questions.
Their issues and points of clarification were discussed in a
professional, businesslike manner.
Management will present its package at our next meeting on Feb. 9 at
Quinsigamond CC. Negotiations will continue on Feb. 23 at Middlesex
CC/Lowell.
In the meantime, our Team is refining details of its financial
package using work done for the MCCC by higher education research
analyst JBL Associates, Inc. We will also be working on a formal
printed Negotiations Update for distribution to chapters in
February.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc
Team chair
To: MCCC Day Unit
Members
From: Joe LeBlanc, Chair of the Day Bargaining Team
This is the first in what will be a regular series of emails about
day contract negotiations.
The Teams met for the first time on Monday, Dec. 13 at noon at
Middlesex CC/Lowell. After lunch and introductions (see lists at the
end of this email), the Teams negotiated for about four hours and
reached tentative agreement over ground rules and release time. MOA's
will be finalized by the end of this week and signed shortly
thereafter.
It was a productive meeting conducted in a positive manner. Peter
Tsaffaras, Director of Employee Relations for the BHE and Team Chair,
indicated his willingness to meet as many times as it takes to reach
agreement by the end of the spring academic semester. We, of course,
agree, but are under no illusions about the difficulty of the task
ahead.
The Teams also agreed to meet next on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m.
at MiCC/Lowell to be followed by a third meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 9
at Quinsigamond CC (subject to confirmation of meeting room
space).
Over Winter Break, I'll be preparing stories for the next issue or
two of the MCCC News. The first, in response to member inquiries,
will provide an overview of the results of the Day Bargaining Survey.
The second story will in as much detail as is possible at that time,
provide members with an overview of our Team's Demand Package and the
general framework of negotiations.
Our Team has been preparing for more than two years. Backed with
considerable research conducted by people inside and outside our
union and hundreds of hours of work, we will be doing everything
possible to negotiate the best agreement possible for our members.
Your support in the months ahead is important and appreciated.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season.
In solidarity,
Joe LeBlanc, Team Chair
The employers members follow: