Dear MCCC Leadership:

Yesterday, August 15, 2006, all 15 community colleges were required to send to the MCCC Central Office part-time day unit member seniority lists. These lists have three categories of part-time unit members:

Category 1) part-time day unit professional staff seniority list by work area(s) in which seniority is determined by the following formula:
11.06 For every fiscal year in which the professional works 0-224 hours, no seniority shall be credited.  A part-time professional staff unit member who works 225 to 900 hours during a fiscal year shall be credited with one-half (1/2) year of seniority.  A part-time professional staff unit member who works more than 900 hours during a fiscal year shall be credited with one (1) year of seniority.  Where a part-time professional works in two or more work areas in any fiscal year, seniority for the total hours worked at the College shall be credited to each, provided that the unit member works a minimum of 225 hours in each.

For example, a part-time professional unit member who works 225 hours in area A and 700 hours in area B would be credited with one (1) year of seniority in each area.  A unit member who works 700 hours in area A but only 50 hours in area B would be credited with one-half (1/2) year of seniority in area A and no seniority in area B for that year.  A unit member who works 200 hours in area A and 25 hours in area B would be credited with no seniority for that year.

Any period of two years or more during which the unit member failed to work 225 hours will constitute a break in service and no service prior to said break will accrue to a professional's seniority.

Category 2) part-time day unit faculty seniority list by work area(s)/department(s)/program(s) in which seniority is determined by the following formula:
11.05 For every academic year in which the faculty member teaches or has taught at least two (2) courses, one (1) year of service shall accrue for purposes of seniority.  If the two courses are in different work areas, one year of service shall accrue in each work area / department / program. 
Any period of two years or more during which the unit member taught no course will constitute a break in service and no service prior to said break will accrue to a faculty member's seniority except as provided in category #3.
Category 3) transferred part-time faculty and professional staff who were transferred to DCE as long ago as 1991 will remain on the day unit seniority list with all rights and benefits under the day contract.
11.05 & 11.06 Where a part-time day unit professional and part-time day unit faculty covered by this Agreement are assigned to work in an area funded by the Division of Continuing Education or its equivalent, such service shall not be treated as a break in service but the unit member also shall not accrue seniority for purposes of this Agreement.
 
Any period of two years or more during which the unit member taught no course will constitute a break in service and no service prior to said break will accrue to a faculty member's seniority.

Arbitration Decision: 1995 - Arbitrator Bornstein - PT day unit members retain day rights when transferred to DCE/Day.

Part-time Unit Member Benefits: Article 28 lists the articles of the contract that apply to part-time unit members.  Some of the benefits of being on the seniority list are:
1) Priority of consideration is given to part-time day unit members if equally best qualified for Article 16 vacancies.
2) If the part-time unit member is in the unit for 3 consecutive years, part-time unit members have appointment rights by greatest seniority.
3) Protection under academic freedom.
4) Access to the grievance procedure.
5) Guaranteed minimum hourly salary rates.
6) Accumulation of all purpose leave based on the following schedule:

Hours Worked Previous Fiscal Year Hours Credited as of following July 1
0-224 0
225-900 15
More than 900 22.5

Chapter Leadership Responsibilities:  A designee from the chapter leadership should request a copy of the day part-time seniority list from the MCCC Central Office and distribute the list to all part-time day unit members.  Day part-time unit members should verify the information on the seniority list and if there are discrepancies, resolve them through the grievance procedure utilizing the informal step first.

August 15, 2005 - Last year's list shows the following distribution of part-time unit members:

College Name Number of Day PT Faculty Number of PT Prof. Staff
Berkshire Community College 0 12
Bristol Community College 2 0
Bunker Hill Community College 0 4
Cap Cod Community College 29 51
Greenfield Community College 0 0
Holyoke Community College 14 129
Mass Bay Community College 12 38
Massasoit Community College  12 140
Middlesex Community College 0 185
Mount Wachusett Community College 27 76
North Shore Community College 0 0
Northern Essex Community College 28 46
Quinsigamond Community College 68 11
Roxbury Community College 0 34
Springfield Technical Community College 0 0
TOTAL 190 726
   
Dennis Fitzgerald
MCCC Grievance Coordinator
Grievance
Tel 508-746-2533
Fax 508-746-5258