MCCC Home | Year Index | 1993 Index

In This Issue:

• Salary Increase in January Paycheck
• Insurance Changes
• College Tries to Vacate Award
• Unfunded Promotions Dilemma

Salary Adjustment Due in January Paycheck

During the week of January 11, 1993, the colleges were notified that they would be responsible for processing the salary increases. As a result, the payroll offices have been working to complete the adjustments so that our January paychecks would reflect the six percent increase.

The January paycheck will also include the retroactive money to December 20, 1992. The difference of what was paid for that last week in December and what is due after the adjustment will be included in the January gross.

To calculate your new salary:

1. Divide the December gross salary by 4 to get the weekly gross.
2. Multiply this weekly gross by 1.06 to reflect the six percent increase in weekly gross.
3. Subtract the December weekly (Step 1) from the adjusted weekly (Step 2) to get difference.
4. From the January gross subtract the difference calculated in Step 3.
5. Divide the adjusted January gross by 5 (5-week month) to get your new weekly gross. Then multiply by 12 to get the new yearly gross.

Sample December gross: $2609.52/4 = $652.38 x 1.06 = $691.52 Difference = $39.52/week January gross: $3497.12- $39.52 (Dec. difference) = $3457.60/5 (5-week month) = $691.52 Present Gross Salary $33,924; weekly $652.38 Adjusted Gross Salary 35,959; weekly 691.52 Increase $ 2,035 $ 39.14

The newly adjusted weekly salary should be one of the following. If not, check with your payroll office. Step Step 447.54 467.87 488.21 508.54 528.88 549.21 569.55 589.87 610.21 630.54 650.88 671.20 691.52 711.87 732.20 752.54 772.27 793.21 813.54 833.87 854.20 874.54 894.86 915.20 935.53 955.88 976.20 996.54

Grant employees are not covered under the legislative appropriation. If the college, however, has money in the grant, these employees should also receive a six percent increase.

A bill is expected to be filed with the legislature to fund the salary increases for the non-unit employees in the state and community colleges. Colleges, however, may fund the increases within the next couple of months from the colleges' accounts so not to have the employees wait. Confidential employees (non-unit clerical) were included in the funding bill and will receive the increase.

Health Insurance Changes

At the end of November the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) entered into agreements for various health insurance options effective July 1, 1993. The major changes known at this time are:

1. Indemnity Plan. John Hancock has been awarded another contract because of its excellent reputation. The GIC would not provide any information concerning the cost except to say a large increase was not anticipated. The GIC said there would be no change from the present --only that "procedures" have been tightened.
2. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan. This new option will be handled by Blue Cross and is designed to be a "meat and potatoes" benefit to lure people out of the indemnity (freedom of choice) plan eventually. The network of participating doctors for the PPO plan is still unknown, but it is assumed that Blue Cross has a network already in place.
3. HMO's. Contracts will be finalized by mid-March. The major change is that the number of providers may decrease from the present 13 to as few as five.
4. Mental Health/Substance Abuse. This coverage which presently exists as part of the John Hancock plan has been removed and a separate provider will handle this coverage.

All of the new contracts will be for two years. The GIC would like to move people from the indemnity plan into the managed care plans-- PPO and HMO's. The open period for making a choice will be from April 5 to May 15. Prior to that, the GIC will provide everyone the information of changes and costs. These two-year agreements will not stop the GIC from changing the level of benefits or increasing the costs.

Thanks for Your Help

As chair of the MCCC Contract Action Committee, I would like to extend my thanks to the following people who contributed their time and energy to get our funding legislation passed. This Committee was a success only because of the work of many, many people. There are the people who, as Barry McPhee (chapter president) from Cape Cod so aptly put it, "rearranged their lives" for the campaign. Most certainly we have missed some names which should be here, but it is not for lack of trying. We also thank all those unit members who picketed, wore buttons and stickers, signed cards, lobbied, wrote letters, made phone calls, and worked in the campaigns of the MTA VOTE endorsed candidates this Fall.

I would like to say our work has ended. We know, however, the governor will no doubt attempt to stop the remaining 7.7 percent due in June. We also need to work on the remaining economic issues like retroactive pay, health and welfare benefits, and unfunded promotions.

Phil Mahler,
Contract Action Committee Chair

Berkshire
James Border; Karen Border; Roberta Passenant

Bristol
Mary Bouchard; Bernice Bowdoin; Sally Amceron; John Feld (student); Pat Foley; Cynthia Hahn; Paulette Howarth; Ron Lister; Mike Lombard (student); Joe Murphy; Chris Nelmes; Gabe Perreira; Marlene Pollack; Margaret Ryckebusch; Howard Tinberg; Ron Weisberger; Paul Welsh (student) Susan Welch (student); Diana Yohe

Bunker Hill
Charlie Chisholm; Geri Curley; Susan Dole; William Iannelli; Ruth Westwater

Cape Cod
Frank Doherty; Jim Foster; Gary Getchell; Dave MacAdam; Elaine Madden; Barry McPhee; Ted Panitz

Greenfield
Wil Roberts

Holyoke
Leona Lout; Walt Mozgala; Neal Nettler; Cindy Parentela; Lauri Pierce; Kathy Root

Mass. Bay
Bob Greenblat; Jennifer Hicks; John Jacobs; Bob Nunes; Tom Parsons; Ellie Smith; John Sulllvan

Massasoit
Cathy Boudreau; Alice Crichlow-Lovett; Bob Demers; Marita Donahue; Dennis Fitzgerald; Stephanie Small-Prasher

Middlesex
Paul Arnone; Rick Doud; Regina Goodwin; Rob Kaulfus; Philip Mahler; Anne Miller; Rose Sergi; Mary Lee Underhill

Mt. Wachusett
Chris Coolidge; John Hughes

No. Shore
Susan Jhirad; Abe Sherf; Don Williams

No. Essex
Rose Arruda; Jim Bradley; Roger Dufresne; Joe Rizzo

Quinsigamond
Ron Cloutier; Bob Enman; Bob Gillies; Dave Holmes; Sarah Housepian; Fred Kolb; Sharron Lamoreaux; Luz Rupert-Lopez; Steve Zona

Roxbury
Richard Eells; Clark Grain; Ken Tangvik

Springfield
Allan Peck; Carolyn Tetrault; Emest Therrien

Mass. Teachers Association

Team Vacancies Applications are now being accepted for the MCCC Negotiating Team for the 1993-1996 day (full-time and part-time day employees) contract. Anyone interested in applying for the team should include the following information in his or her resume and cover letter: Union experience at chapter and / or statewide level Academic background Bargaining experience Chapter activities Knowledge and understanding of labor relations Applicants should bear in mind that attendance at the Negotiations Track at the MTA Summer Leadership Conference at Williams College, August 9-13, 1993, may be required of all team members. Applications must be postmarked no later than February 1, 1993, and mailed to Tom Parsons, MCCC President. DCE Team Vacancies The MCCC is accepting applications from DCE unit members in good standing (dues are paid) who are interested in being a member of the 1993-1996 DCE Negotiating Team. If you are interested in serving on the team, send a resume and a cover letter to MCCC President Tom Parsons, II Cottonwood Road, Wellesley, MA 02181. Deadline for application is March 1, 1993.

MCCC Vacancies on MTA Bulletin The number of vacancies within the community colleges is expanding, and this information is easily accessible. If your do not have a Hayes compatible modem, someone on your campus will. Vacancies can be read directly from the screen, or they can be downloaded and printed at your terminal. To access the BulIetin Board system, dial 1-800-523-8883(1200 or 2400 baud, 8 data bits; 1 Stop, NONE parity). Follow the prompts, When you first logon, you will be asked a few questions. After that, last and first name and password are all that are needed. Once on, any questions about bulletin board go to Ron Miller (1-508-653-7244), the SYSop, either through the bulletin board or by calling him. Once on the main menu, Select [B]. You can now access Community College Vacancies (HIEDVAC).

Unfunded Promotions Dilemma

In December MCCC was notified that the presidents would enter into negotiations concerning the funding of the unfunded promotions. A bargaining session was held, and much to the disappointment of the MCCC bargaining team, the presidents proposed to allow some colleges to fund the promotions and some colleges to not fund the promotions. The MCCC's position is that these promotions are statewide and that all colleges should fund them. Apparently there are two or three college presidents who do not want to fund these promotions, and it is not for fiscal reasons.

The total amount of the unfunded promotions is approximately $446,000. If the promotions were effective in December, 1992, the colleges would only need to spend approximately $260,000. Over the past year, the state college presidents entered into negotiations with the state college union and agreed to fund all of the outstanding promotions for the past three years as well as the department chair stipends. The cost, including the rollover costs, was close to $3 million. At the December MCCC Directors' meeting, the Board voted to recommend that chapters remain on work-to-rule until the promotions have been funded.

Massasoit Appeals Arbitration Award

Since the first collective bargaining agreement in the community colleges, the contracts have used final and binding arbitration as the resolution of contractual disagreements. Though each party has always had the right to appeal to the Superior Court to have the arbitrator's award vacated, neither the union nor the colleges have ever chosen to appeal. Both parties have accepted arbitrations as final and binding. For the first time since the inception of collective bargaining in the community colleges, a college has appealed an arbitrator's award in Superior Court. Massasoit Community College moved two administrators into the unit and the jobs were never posted. The arbitrator's decision, which was printed in the December issue of the MCCC Newsletter, stated that the college could not slide non-unit employees into the MCCC unit without first posting the position, and the two positions in question must be posted. The college has appealed on the grounds that the arbitrator exceeded his authority by ordering the jobs vacated and posted.

DCE Resolutions

Holyoke. A faculty member who was teaching non-credit courses (which are not covered under the contract) had one or more students enrolled in her classes for credit. Since this constituted unit work and through the mediation process, the grievance was resolved, and the college has agreed to pay the faculty member for this work.

Massasoit. This grievance involved a unit member being assigned a course and the course subsequently canceled after it began. Additionally, the unit member had turned down a teaching job at another college in order to teach at Massasoit. While 'pending arbitration, an agreement was reached which awarded compensation to the faculty member.

MCCC to Survey Day and DCE Members

The MCCC is planning to survey all full-time, part-time and DCE members in preparation for upcoming negotiations for the next day and DCE contracts. Our day contract expires in June, and the DCE contract expires in August. Negotiations for successor contracts should begin sometime in the Spring. The purpose of the survey is to solicit unit members' sentiments and priorities relative to their wages, and conditions of employment. The information received from the survey will be the foundation for the negotiating teams' initial demand packages.

Mark Your Calendars for Deadlines

Feb. 1	Deadline to submit proposed changes to MCCC Constitution and Bylaws.
Feb. 1	Deadline to apply for full- and part-time day negotiating team.
Mar. 1	Deadline to apply for DCE negotiating team.
Mar. 5	Deadline to file nomination papers with MTA for vacant seats on MTA Board.
Mar 10	Deadline to file nomination papers with MCCC to be delegate for MTA and NEA annual meeting.

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Do You Know Where They Are?

All female faculty and professional staff who are part of the equity suit settlement should have received a correspondence from Attorney Betty A. Gittes. A number of letters, however, have been returned, address unknown. In the next couple of issues of the Newsletter, an updated list will be printed of women who need to be contacted. If anyone knows anyone on this list, please contact her and ask her to call Attorney Gittes.

Berkshire
Jacquelynn Arnold; Judith Aronow; Kristina Cimini; Anne Gates; Linda Leeking; Susan Quinland-Brown; Marie Trifone

Bunker Hill
Patricia Brown; Molly Leong; Pamela Perkins-Johnson

Cape Cod
Thelma Yarborough

Mass. Bay
Ann Marie Clougherty; Christina Denovais; Sharon H. Dunn; Ann G. Hilferty; Susan M. Santucci

Middlesex
Marion Ahern, Estate of; Geraldine Dansky; Lisa Lessard (Lent); Kristine Perkins

Mt. Wachustt
Jan E. Siskind

No. Shore
Linda A. Boyer; Marguerite Gerstell

No. Essex
Bonnie A. Neuhardt

Quinsigamond
Diane Gary; Grechen Thayer

Roxbury
Josephine Apperwhite; Eleanor Burtman; Carol Camlin; Lourdes Rodriquez; Adrienne Scott

Springfield
Marsha L. Eaten; Linda Harrington; Nancy McAuliffe

MTA Board Seat Vacancy

Because of the increase in membership over the past two years, the MCCC now will have two seats on the MTA Board of Directors effective July 1. All MCCC unit members, full time, part time, and DCE employees are eligible to run for these seats. Elections will be held at the MTA Annual Meeting in May. If anyone is interested in running, the MTA Today will carry the necessary information for the filing of nomination papers. The deadline for filing papers is March 5, 1993. The MTA Board meets six weekends a year, and meetings are usually held at the Holiday Crown Plaza in Natick.

Know Your Contract

Jan. 23	Student evaluation summary due
Jan. 25	Faculty submit office hours
Jan. 29	First year Professional staff post evaluation conference; full-time faculty schedule changes to chapter president; faculty post office hours
Jan. 31	First year professional staff summary evaluation due; Faculty summary evaluation due
Feb. 1	Faculty submit course materials
Feb. 6	Fall sabbatical proposals due; Sabbatical Leave Committee appointed
Feb. 15	First through third year faculty reappointments due

N.B. Dates may vary depending on first day of classes. Also, most of these dates are "last date" standards.
In many instances, the action can he accomplished before the date indicated.