For more information on Vice-President reports, MTA Director reports, Strategic Action Committee (SAC) Issues and/or related legislative priorities, contact
- Diana (Donnie) McGee
- MCCC Vice President, SAC Chair, MCCC Director on the MTA Board of Directors
- Email:
Date: November 18, 2011
To: MCCC Board of Directors
From: Donnie McGee, MCCC Vice President
Re: SAC/VP Report, Worcester, MA
Date: November 18, 2011
Legislative Update: Three key bills await action by the Governor
- Pension Bill enacted by the Legislature –includes an ORP to SERS transfer amendment
- Future employees to have reduced benefits
- Pensions based on 5 year averaging of salaries (3 % reduction)
- Minimum retirement age is increased
- MTA “wins”
- The ORP amendment – 1/3 of our full-time faculty are affected
- A $1,000 increase in the cost-of living-adjustment (COLA) base for retirees
- A reduction in pension cuts for future long-term employees (30+ years
- Casino Bill passed by Legislature includes a new revenue stream for Public Higher Education
- About 5% of the total casino revenues to be dedicated to state colleges and universities, above and beyond the regular appropriation
- Expected revenues: an estimated $20 million per year
- Evergreen Bill enacted by Legislature will allow for collective bargaining agreements to be extended beyond their expiration date while unions and employers negotiate new agreements
ORP to SERS Transfer Initiative – What’s next:
- Governor’s response: 10 days to sign, veto or amend the pension bill
- Favorable Internal Revenue Service Ruling required
- Campus workshops/outreach needed to educate eligible members about
- the transfer opportunity from the ORP to the SERS,
- cost estimates for buyback (and comparison to benefits of SERS retirement package)
- the transfer process, related timelines, & constraints on ORP funds
- Development of an improved retirement orientation program statewide
Adjunct Pension Bill (S 1307) : Awaits action in Public Service Committee; MTA sought its inclusion in the State House Pension Bill.
Adjunct Health Insurance Bill (S.1340): Recommended by PSC; awaits action in the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing
ORP Ad Hoc and Strategic Action Committees:
- December meetings to be held for each committee; dates to be determined
“Thanks-giving” Break: Consider writing a note of thanks to these legislators
- Most important: ORP faculty, activists, and union leaders should thank their own State Senators and Representatives
- Thank the Chairs of the Public Service Committee for their leadership on the ORP legislation in each chamber and in the Conference Committee:
- Thank the sponsors of the ORP amendments in the House Pension bill:
- Thank the sponsors of the ORP amendments in the Senate Pension bill:
- Thank State House Leadership:
Contact Congress ASAP to send a message to the “Super-Committee” on Deficit Reduction:
- If you’re concerned about cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, working class families, students, and seniors and want a deficit-reduction plan to create jobs, contact Congress TODAY.
- Tell Congress that you want the “Super-Committee” to find a balanced approach of spending cuts and revenue increases to solve the country’s debt problems.
- Let Senator John Kerry, who serves on this committee, know your concerns, your suggestions.
- A simple way to send an email or written letter to your Congressional leaders is to go to the NEA website at http://www.nea.org/
- In the Take Action section, click on “Tell the “Super-Committee”
- Then compose your own message or choose from a variety of suggested talking points.
- NEA will send an email or a letter to all your leaders in Congress.
- November 23, 2011: Super-Committee’s deadline for decision-making
Correction on October 21, 2011 VP/SAC Report to the Board: Timothy Fitzgerald (not Tim Sullivan) has been appointed MTA’s Acting Director of Higher Education.
MTA Board Conference Call (11/1/11)
- MTA leadership provided an update on the Pension issues and the related lobbying with Representatives on the House pension package.
- The discussion focused on the ORP amendments and other hoped for gains as well as the continuing efforts to reduce the negative impact of this bill on future educators.
HELC Meeting (11/11/11 at the Crowne Plaza in Natick, MA)
- Focused on Higher Ed. Contracts, bargaining and related updates provided by all unions present.
- Emphases: interest in “NAGE-like” offer, begin bargaining early, concerns about funding process (it’s broken”) ,possibility of getting agreed to funding in House 1 budget (or establish CB fund)
Date: September 26, 2011
Dear MCCC Colleagues,
I have attached a copy of my MCCC SAC/VP report to the Board. Also attached is the current MCCC Legislative agenda, updated as of 9/21/11. Thanks for all your lobbying on pension issues in the past two weeks. I will be providing more lobbying requests as is appropriate. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Warm regards,
Donnie
Date: September 1, 2011
Dear SAC and Chapter Leaders and MCCC Faculty and Professional Staff,
I hope this email finds you well and at least somewhat refreshed over the summer months - as our Fall semester has arrived.
I have attached a copy of my August 24th SAC/VP report to the BOD. One key emphasis on this report is the upcoming Revenue Campaign that has been endorsed and is being implemented by the MTA, MCCC, and the statewide Coalition for Our Communities. Also important to note is the October 4th Lobby Day and Public Service Committee Hearings on three key pieces of legislation (the Optional Retirement Plan opt-out bill, the contract funding amendment, and a bill that would permit collective bargaining for early childhood educators). It would be important that every chapter has members present at the State House on this day to support these bills and lobby for their passage. The hearings will begin at 1 pm in Gardner Auditorium.
Date: June 2, 2011
MCCC Legislative Update:
- The MCCC/SAC Legislative agenda can be viewed on the MCCC website: http://www.mccc-union.org/LegislativePriorities/LegislativeAgenda.htm
- All MCCC-endorsed bills are asterisked.
- Note the status below of MCCC-endorsed State House bills:
- H. 1244 - Faculty and College Excellence Act (Reversing the Course of Faculty Hiring Trends):
- Sent to the Joint Committee on Higher Education
- Hearing on June 22nd in Room A2 at 10 am
- Peace Corps Creditable Service Act (H. 2486):
- Sent to the Joint Committee on Public Service
- Hearing on July 26th in Room A1 at 1 pm
- H. 2553/S.1416 - Investing in Our Communities/Revenue Bill:
- Hearing held in Gardner Auditorium on May 5th at the State House before the Joint Committee on Revenue
- President Joe LeBlanc and Donnie McGee testified before a packed auditorium along with MTA and other statewide union leaders, a handful of State House legislators, and community coalition activists.
- Bill awaits action by the committee
- H. 2981 - Amendment to the Collective Bargaining Contract Funding Process (Chapter 150E)
- Sent to the Joint Committee on Public Service
- Hearing on Oct. 4 in Room A1 at 1 pm
- S. 1307 - Adjunct Faculty Pension Bill
- Sent to the Joint Committee on Public Service
- Hearing on July 26th in Room A1 at 1 pm
- S. 1340: Adjunct Faculty Health Insurance Bill
- Sent to the Joint Committee on Public Service
- Hearing held on May 3, 2011
- Betsy Smith submitted written testimony; President Joe LeBlanc testified.
- Bill awaits action by the Committee
- ACTION ALERT: MCCC adjuncts and chapter leaders, please contact state legislators to let them know how important it is for them to support this bill so that adjuncts can be insured in a fair, affordable, and comprehensive way. Ask your legislators if they would support this bill and contact the Public Service Chairs to push the bill forward with a positive recommendation.
- S. 1912: MCCC's Optional Retirement Plan (ORP)/Transfer Opportunity Bill
- Sent to the Joint Committee on Public Service
- Hearing planned for Oct. 4 (other details not yet available
State House Budget:
- The Senate and House have both submitted their respective chamber budgets. Public Higher Education, community services, and aid to cities and towns will be challenged by what many consider is inadequate state funding. Municipal Health Insurance Amendments in both budgets challenge the collective bargaining rights of municipal employees though the Senate's approach is less harsh.
- A Budget Conference Committee with leaders appointed from each chamber will work to resolve the differences in the next three weeks.
- Stay tuned for related political action requests on these issues.
MCCC Strategic Action Committee (SAC) Update:
- The Committee met on April 27, with 11 of the 13 SAC representatives present.
- The SAC legislative agenda was distributed and discussed with an emphasis on the Revenue Bill and its relationship to the funding of our colleges, our effectiveness in serving students, and the ability of any of our legislative priorities to move forward.
- Newly appointed MTA Legislative & Political Action Team (LPAT) Coordinators Rose Freeland and Tiffany Magnolia discussed their LPAT positions, the related statewide LPAT system, and the relationship of this new MTA initiative to MCCC's current political/strategic action structure.
- SAC stipend requests for this past year should have been submitted to Treasurer Phil Mahler and copied to me.
- Brooks Smith and Donnie McGee attended the State House Higher Education Caucus (April 5). The VP shared MCCC and SAC leadership concerns that the funds supporting the Vision Project in House 1 wouldn't help close the achievement gap or support our most vulnerable students. She noted that the chronic underfunding of our campuses diminishes the effectiveness of faculty teaching and the related support services for our students.
ORP Ad Hoc Committee (ORP) Update:
- Meeting on May 17, 2011, fifteen ORP faculty attended from 12 different colleges.
- The new MCCC ORP bill, now officially numbered S 1912, was distributed and discussed. To see the text of the bill, go to: http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/Senate/S01912
- An update on Connecticut's similar Alternate Retirement Plan (ARP) campaign was provided.
- A fall ORP Lobby Day is set for October 4., 2011, to coincide with the hearing of the ORP bill before the Public Service Committee. An ORP Lobby Day Subcommittee, co-chaired by Gail Guarino and Donnie McGee, was established to assist in planning this event. Another subcommittee will develop talking points for member education and legislative lobbying.
- Professor Greg Sethares, an ORP-enrolled faculty from Bristol Community College, presented a sample ORP/SERS buyback cost sheet and will complete other sample cost sheets to create a broader understanding of the estimated costs for the transfer buyback opportunity supported by S 1912.
- Stay tuned for related updates and lobbying requests on this ORP campaign.
Date: March 25, 2010
MCCC Legislative Update:
- Supplementary spending bill expected to include $30 M to fund collective bargaining increases for state employees
- Bills filed by MTA have official bill numbers (document to be distributed by email)
- MTA is working with me to finalize and file a new ORP bill
- House 2 budget should be completed in the next two weeks
GIC Re-enrollment Requirement Reminder:
- MA Members who don’t re-enroll this spring will be put into the plan that’s least expensive for GIC (3 months waiver of premium for those who switch to these plans)
- Out-of-state residents are exempt from this re-enrollment requirement
MCCC Strategic Action Committee met on 2/16/11
- SAC leaders to be working with Chapter leaders to set up Campus Breakfasts, In-district meetings, and/or coordinated phone calls with Legislators about MCCC’s legislative agenda/budget concerns:
- April SAC meeting planned; date to be announced
ORP Ad Hoc Committee:
- ORP Committee met on Tuesday, March 8, at 4 pm, MCCC Office
- May meeting to discuss ORP transfer costs, final bill, Public Service Committee Hearing/Testimony, and Lobby Day
- ORP update, with talking points, to be sent out as soon as bill is filed
Wisconsin and Beyond: What you can do to help:
MTA Annual Meeting Delegates: Pre-Convention Meetings (Bring your Budget Book)
-
All meetings: Registration at 3:30 pm, Meeting at 4 pm. Brochure
- Cape & Islands: The Cape Codder Resort, Hyannis, Monday, April 11
- Central Region: Holiday Inn, Marlborough, Tuesday, April 12
- Southeast/Metro Regions: Holiday Inn, Taunton, Wednesday, April 13
- Northeast/Metro Regions, Holiday Inn Select, Woburn,Thursday, April 14
- Western/Berkshire Regions: Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, Thursday, April 28
Date: February 25, 2010
MCCC Legislative Update:
- See handout on bills filed by MTA (MCCC bills are asterisked; note sponsors; Docket Numbers are not official bill numbers
- See handout on State House Leadership, key committees and chairs
- MCCC to file a separate ORP bill
- Evergreen Legislation: “An Act to Clarify Terms of Collective Bargaining Agreements” (Sen. Tolman & Rep. Walsh)
- Political Action – Thank your/your college legislators if they sponsored our bills
- Legislative Calendar:
- Budget hearings (Feb. 22, Rosemarie Freeland; March 4, Donnie McGee)
- March – April, House Budget Deliberations
- April – June, Senate Budget Deliberations
- March through November: bill hearings to be scheduled
GIC Re-enrollment Requirement:
- Members who don’t re-enroll this spring will be put into the plan that’s least expensive for GIC (HR offices on campus notification already provided & GIC postcard reminder forthcoming)
- 3 months waiver of premium for those who switch to these plans
MCCC Strategic Action Committee met on 2/16/11
- Presentation by MTA’s Nancy Stolberg on Legislative & Political ActionTteams (LPAT) initiative
- PowerPoint presentation by Dan Gilbarg on the Coalition Revenues Bill and recommendation that he present this information to the MCCC Board
- Motion to endorse “An Act to Invest in Our Communities” (New Business item)
- Emphasis on getting members educated on legislation, connected to legislators and hosting legislative meetings/coffee hours on campuses
ORP Ad Hoc Committee:
-
ORP Meeting re-scheduled for Tuesday, March 8, at 4 pm, MCCC Office
MCCC Legislative Internship Program for MCCC students:
- Chris Wilbur, Student Trustee from BrCC, to intern in Rep. Canessa’s office this spring
- Applications being sought for summer internship program
- Encourage qualified (3.0) students to apply ($500 stipend).
- Application deadline: March 30, 2011 (extended)
- Go to the MCCC website: http://mccc-union.org/StudentIntern/index.html
Highlights of the MTA Board of Directors’ Meeting:
- Created a Task Force on Distance Learning
- Viewed a PowerPoint presentation on Single Payer Health Care; for more information, go to http://www.masscare.org
- Discussed issues related to municipal health insurance with a motion that emphasized the preservation of collective bargaining at all levels and the goal of reducing costs for all. The BOD also emphasized that one of the principles behind this motion must be: “Single-payer health care is our goal.”
- Viewed a PowerPoint presentation on the Governor’s Pension Reform bill, followed by a Q & A session.
- “Authorized NEA directors to bring forward an amendment that would increase the proposed $3 NEA dues increase to be allocated to the NEA Ballot Initiative Fund to $10 for the NEA Ballot Initiative Fund.” (Mary Ann Alfond, February 2011Board Alert)
Motion by Strategic Action Committee on 2/16/11:
Endorse the current State House bill, “An Act to Invest in Our Communities,” as an MCCC Legislative priority for 2011/2012.
