MCCC Dues Rates and Benefit Information

July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009

These are dues for the period shown. Click HERE for the previous fiscal year.

• DEFINITIONS
• DUES RATES
• BENEFITS OF UNIT MEMBER STATUS
• BENEFITS OF UNION MEMBER STATUS
• WHAT DO THE HIGHER UNION DUES PAY FOR?
• FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
  

DEFINITIONS

Bargaining Unit: A legal entity established by the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission based upon a vote of the employees, and the type of work they do. The Massachusetts Community College Council (MCCC) is the legal representative of two Bargaining Units: the Day Unit, and the Division of Continuing Education (DCE) Unit. You can be a member of both if you are employed in positions covered by these units.

Unit member: An employee who is part of a Bargaining Unit. You are a unit member by virtue of the professional position you hold.

Union member: A unit member, and also you choose to join the MCCC, and you pay the Member dues rates.

Membership Year: July 1 - June 30

 

DUES RATES

• Unit Members pay an agency fee (Non-Member Fees) to the NEA, MTA, and MCCC. Unit Members who join the MCCC (union) pay Member Dues instead.
• The membership year is July 1 through June 30.
• Dues policies are set by NEA, MTA and MCCC Bylaws. Dues rates based on these policies are set by each organization at their annual meetings.
  • FULL-TIME members pay full dues if they are hired between 7/1 and 11/14; they pay 75% if hired 11/15 - 01/31; they pay 50% if hired 02/01 - 04/14, and 25% after that.
  • PART-TIME members pay full dues if they hold a 50% or more appointment to a regular position
  • PART-TIME members who have less than a 50% appointment pay at the rates shown below, roughly 30% of the full-time amount.
  • PART-TIME members who teach less than 3 credits in the membership year (DCE) or have less than a 25% appointment pay a lower dues rate, about 15% of the full time rate.

BENEFITS

What are the Benefits of Being a Unit Member?

As a unit member you are entitled to certain rights, which are specified in the union contract. You can obtain a copy of the contract from your campus Chapter President or Treasurer, or the MCCC Office, or on line at http://www.mccc-union.org/CONTRACTS/ where you want to check out the link to The Complete Agreement.

• You have all rights under collective bargaining, which are related primarily to salary and reappointment, as shown in the contract language.
• You are eligible to vote on new contracts.
• You will receive the MCCC Newsletter.

Some history: In terms of pay, when part-time professionals became part of the union in 1997, the minimum hourly rate was established at $15 per hour, which for most individuals increased their salary from $3 to $5 per hour. Since then these professionals have received regular salary increases through union contract negotiations and the current minimum is $20.33 per hour.

What are the Benefits of Being a Union Member?

If you choose to join us in the union (almost 100% of your full-time colleagues are union members) you get these benefits in addition to Unit Member benefits cited above

• You are eligible to vote in union elections.
• You are eligible to hold union office.
• You are eligible to attend chapter and statewide union meetings.
• You are eligible to represent your chapter at the MCCC Delegate Assembly, the MTA Annual Meeting, and the NEA Annual Meeting.
• You are covered by NEA Professional Liability Insurance up to $1,000,000.
• You are eligible to receive Legal Assistance if needed in relationship to your employment, including legal representation at Unemployment Benefit hearings.
• MTA Discount/Benefits Program (see www.MTABenefits.com or call 800 392 6175) provides discounts in insurance, and benefits related to finances, income protection, wellness, travel and entertainment. Many members save more than their dues cost by using MTA Benefits services.
• Your MTA Membership Card gets significant reductions at dozens of museums, theater, sports venues and other recreation opportunities through out Massachusetts (see www.MTABenefits.com or call 800 392 6175).
  
  
• You are a member of a professional organization dedicated to high quality education in our two-year colleges and to dignity in the workplace - you have taken a stand!

What Do the Higher Union Member Dues Actually Pay For?

Your union dues pay for some of the benefits cited above as benefits of being a union member. However, they MOSTLY pay for things which most members would consider important to ALL members, such as adequate funding for the community college system (which helps keep tuition down, for our students), adequate funding for the entire state higher education system, working to obtain health benefits for part-time employees, working to obtain a proper pension system for part-time (DCE) employees, allowing members to buy back part-time (day) time towards their pension, keeping the unit member contribution towards health insurance reasonable.

Some additional documents (PDF format)

• Flyer for DCE Members: Contract Grievance Procedures and Unemployment Compensation Rights and Procedures
• Flyer for DCE Members: Welcome to the DCE Unit

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I'm a salaried day unit member, hired in September. Why must I pay dues for July and August, when I was not a member?

A: The NEA, MTA and MCCC set dues collection policies in their Bylaws. These policies dictate the amount of dues collected based upon the date of hire. The MCCC MUST send in dues on your behalf to the NEA and MTA based upon hiring date. The viewpoint is that you are not buying a monthly service, but an annual membership. We happen to bill you starting in July and through the following June (our membership year), to make the payments smaller, but it's not like telephone service where you have no service before the turn on date. Even in July and August, the union is enforcing the contract for all members, which includes new hires. It may well be in negotiations or doing a myriad of other things that it must do all the time so that your rights and benefits are protected. Also, the union does not charge a startup fee, which almost always is charged when you "sign up for monthly service" with a phone company, utilities, cable TV, etc. It's just not the same situation.

Q: I teach in DCE and I started in the spring semester. Why do I have to pay the full annual dues?

A: The same situation applies to someone who teaches in the fall semester, but not in the spring semester. DCE dues are best viewed as being on a semester basis. A unit member pays the semester rate in the first semester they teach in a membership year. However, once paid, employment for a second semester in that membership year does not require paying again.

DCE dues are already greatly reduced compared to full-time dues. The NEA, MTA and MCCC set dues collection policies in their Bylaws. These policies dictate the amount of dues collected. The MCCC MUST send in full dues to the MTA and the NEA (which make up most of your dues) per their bylaws.

Q: I got a bill for dues from the past. I didn't know I hadn't paid these dues, so why do I have to pay them?

A: The MCCC does its best to ensure that every member pays their fair share of the costs of running their union, but things do slip through the cracks. Still, fairness dictates that these fair amounts be collected. Please note, for example, that if the retirement board should overpay your pension for 10 years, when it discovers the error it will collect the overpayment from the retiree. Please be assured that the MCCC Office does not ask for anything not dictated by policy and fairness.

The MCCC Office

Philip Mahler, Treasurer

Philip Kennedy, Operations Manager

Meg Kennedy, Member Services

Edy Stoddard, Member Services