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Volume XI |
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Number Six |
In This Issue:
On January 14, 1994, Governor William Weld signed a supplemental budget with an appropriation of money allocated for the resolution of the salary inequities for women in the community colleges.
Attorney Betty Gittes, an attorney who specializes in such cases and who was hired by the MTA to represent the plaintiffs said, "Without the strength of the union behind these women, we would not have been able to have this kind of settlement. An individual alone does not have the resources to pursue this kind of litigation through the state agencies and Federal Court."
The case was initiated in 1976 when three women faculty members at Massasoit Community College filed a charge with the MCAD in which they alleged that salary inequities existed between men and women employed at the college. In 1983 came the "Berkshire Eight" who filed charges with the MCAD and the EEOC.
By 1986 the case was expanded to include all female faculty members when the MTA and MCCC filed Karen Border v. Board of Regents of Higher Education in the U.S. District Court. As a result of a mediated settlement, more than 1200 current and former female faculty and professional staff employees (Female professional staff members were added to the suit by the MCCC during settlement negotiations.) in the community college system will share $10.6 million in back pay and damages. This is the largest settlement of its kind in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
"I feel as if I've been climbing Mt. Everest for 10 years and have finally reached the summit," said Margaret Ryckebusch, Professor of English and Chapter President.
Donna Sirutis, the MTA consultant assigned to the MCCC, and Priscilla Lyons, MTA Director of Higher Education, both who worked extremely hard at the statewide level to get this settlement through the legislature stated, "This is an excellent example of the benefits of a union. The investment of their dues has come back to them ten fold."
In this case the union consists of the many unit members who responded time and time again to the many requests from the MCCC to urge their legislators to support the appropriation to settle the case. They never let up nor did they succumb to the naysayers, "The odds are against you. You'll never get this in the supplemental."
The union also consists of the MTA which committed its political resources and money in an effort to resolve these inequities.
Without the efforts of dedicated and relentless MCCC leaders, the union would not have prevailed. For over four years, Dennis Fitzgerald, MCCC Grievance Coordinator, worked tirelessly with Attorney Gittes compiling statistical and employment data. MCCC President Tom Parsons, determined to make sure that all who were entitled to compensation would receive it, worked extraordinarily hard to whittle down nearly 500 "unknown addresses" to the current three or four. Almost none of the monies will revert back to the Commonwealth.
The efforts and support of legislators must also be acknowledged. House Speaker Charles Flaherty, Rep. John Menard, and Senate Ways and Means Chair Tom Birmingham should all be thanked, along with everyone's own representative and senator who make a commitment to support this funding.
The payment of equity money is scheduled for come in two installments. The monetary settlement for emotional distress is expected to be paid in late February or early March. The settlement for back pay will come a little later after the necessary deductions for tax purposes have been calculated.
Individuals receiving payment for the settlement should be aware of and plan for federal tax liabilities and should discuss their situation with their tax preparers. The government may try to collect taxes on the emotional distress component of the settlement by issuing a 1099 form. At present this is not anticipated, but it could happen.
MCCC President Parsons says, "Though this brings to closure the sex-equity suit, the MCCC will continue to fight for equity adjustments for all unit members as we pursue our statewide complaint. In union we have strength."
Interested In Political Action?
The MCCC is in the process of putting together its political action plan and training program in conjunction with the other segments of higher education and the MTA. The MCCC needs unit members who are willing to make a commitment to coordinate political action activities on the campuses but do not have to spend an exorbitant amount of time. The political action plan will consist of three major components:
Crisis Activity Advocates. These members will be appointed by the chapter presidents and coordinate activities on each campus.
Legislative Advocates. Appointed by chapter presidents, these members will work on campus to coordinate legislative activities.
Regional Coordinators. Elected by Crisis Activity Advocates and Legislative Advocates, these members will sit on the regional committee with other higher education segment representatives from their respective regions.
Anyone interested in getting involved in these activities, please contact your chapter president or MCCC Vice President Susan Dole (617-623-8091) who is coordinating the political action activities for the MCCC. We need to get the committees up and running so that we are prepared for the upcoming contract, budget, and election activities. €
The recent supplemental request had a proposed framework as to how a proposed early retirement bill would look like if information from the study supported such legislation. The only thing the supplemental did was mandate that a study take place. Governor Weld, as you know, vetoed this outside section.
Now what! The MTA has already filed an early retirement bill and Rep. Phil Travis (D-Rehoboth) has promised to carry an early retirement bill to the floor. The issue is, what kind of language can the governor, legislature, and college presidents live with in an early retirement bill. The MCCC, the MTA, most college presidents, and the other higher education unions will continue to pursue early retirement legislation in this next session. €
Collective Bargaining and School Renewal. March 11-13, 1994, Nashville, Tennessee. This conference will take a comprehensive look at new developments in learning, the social forces exerting pressure on the learning environment, and advances in member advocacy. Registration fee of $75 (pre- February 10, $95 after) includes reception and dinner on Friday, lunch on Saturday, and continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday.
The New Learning Environment: Serving Diversity Through Technology. April 8-10, 1994, Albuquerque, New Mexico. This conference, presented in cooperation with Rocky Mountain Association for Technology in Education, will emphasize various aspects of diversity, multiculturalism, and multidisciplinary approaches in learning. There will be over 100 workshops in 13 separate tracks with special invited speakers including Vice President All Gore. Registration fee of $89 (Feb. I) or $99 (March 10) includes reception on Friday, luncheon on Saturday and continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Hotel rates range from $95 to $55, double occupancy, and must be made no later than March 11, 1994.
NEA Higher Education Conference. April 8-10, 1994, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Registration fee of $135 includes luncheon and reception Friday, continental breakfast and luncheon on Saturday, and brunch Sunday, plus coffee breaks and materials. Deadline for registration is February 11, 1994. Hotel rates at the Ramada Hotel Classic $74 plus tax For a single or double occupancy.
Prior to the Higher Education Conference, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) will hold its annual meeting on Thursday evening, April 7 and Friday morning, April 8.
All unit members should have received their new dental information from Blue Cross, the new dental care carrier under our Health and Welfare Trust Fund.
The major difference between the two carriers is the introduction of the Preferred Provider Option (PPO). Delta Dental had one group of dentists and all unit members received the same benefit. Blue Cross has the same structure as our health coverage. If you continue with your present dentist and he or she is not on the PPO list, your benefits will be lower. If you choose a dentist on the PPO list, your benefits are increased. If you dentist is not on the PPO list, inquire if he or she would be willing to become part of that group.
Each college will hold meetings to explain this new program. Inquire at your Personnel Office of meeting times and dates if they were not listed with the Blue Cross materials you received. If you did not receive any materials, call 1-800-241-0803 and speak to the person responsible for the Higher Education Coordinating Council/MTA Health and Welfare Trust Fund. €
The MCCC invites any unit member, full or part-time or DCE, to submit an article, commentary, or book or article review on any topic which he or she believes would be of interest to MCCC unit members. The journal is intended to be a forum for the many views of the membership, and the submissions should derive from thoughtful research. The articles can deal with any aspect of the academic environment. Contributors should follow APA style and must submit copies of their work on computer disk and hard copy. Each submission should run no longer than 3,000 words, including quotations, footnotes, and references.
For a detailed outline of submission requirements, please contact the Newsletter Editor. All submissions must to sent to MCCC President Tom Parsons. The deadline is February 15, 1994. €
The Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act required the Department of Education to appoint and convene a State Committee of Practitioners to assist the Department in reviewing proposed state rule of regulations for the administration of the Perkins Act and reviewing and commenting on the statewide system of standards and measures of performance for programs funded under the Perkins Act.
The MCCC is looking for two unit members in the career programs who would be interested in serving on this committee which would meet three to four times over the next year.
If you are interested, contact MCCC President Tom Parsons by February 7, 1994, by sending a letter of application together with background information. €
The following is an outline of all upcoming elections and the deadlines for nomination papers. Vacancies are open to all MCCC unit members in good standing--Full-time day faculty, professional staff, part-time day faculty, and DCE.
MCCC Officer: President, vice president, secretary, and treasurer are open for a two-year term, June, 1994 to June, 1996. Candidates must fill out the nomination paper along with 50 signatures on the back. The deadline for filing nomination papers is 4 p.m. February 16, 1994, to Elections Committee Chair, Allan Peck, Springfield Technical Community College, One Armory Square, Springfield, MA 01105. If you are interested in faxing, send nomination papers with a cover sheet to the college's fax 413-781-5805.
MCCC Delegate to MTA and NEA Annual Meetings: For those members wishing to run on the MCCC ballot as a delegate to the MTA and/or NEA Annual Meetings, a nomination paper must be filed for each position. Only the front part of the nomination paper must be filled out for these vacancies. The deadline for filing nomination papers is 4 p.m. February 16, 1994, No nomination papers will be accepted after that time regardless of postmark or fax time stamped. Papers must be in the hands of Elections Committee Chair, Allan Peck, Springfield Technical Community College, One Armory Square, Springfield, MA 01105. If you are interested in faxing, send nomination papers with a cover sheet to the college's fax 413-781-5805.
MCCC Seat on MTA Board of Directors: Any unit member interested in running for the Region 44H (MCCC) seat on the MTA Board of Directors must request, in writing, nomination papers from MTA Executive Director Edward Sullivan, 20 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108. Signatures must be collected and the nomination form submitted to the MTA no later than 5 p.m. on March 4, 1994.
MTA Executive Committee (Higher Education Seat): Any unit member interested in running for the Region 44H (MCCC) seat on the MTA Board of Directors must request, in writing, nomination papers from MTA Executive Director Edward Sullivan, 20 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108. Signatures must be collected and the nomination form submitted to the MTA no later than 5 p.m. on March 4, 1994.
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Jan. 28 |
Faculty post office hours |
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Jan. 29 |
First year professional staff post evaluation conference |
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Jan. 31 |
Faculty Summary Evaluation due from supervisor |
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Jan. 31 |
First year professional staff summary evaluation due from supervisor |
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Feb. 4 |
Course materials submitted |
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Feb. 5 |
Fall 1994 sabbatical proposals due |
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Feb. 5 |
Sabbatical Leave Committee appointed |
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Feb. 15 |
Reappointments of first through third year employees |
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Catherine A. Boudreau MCCC/MTA Newsletter |
The MCCC Newsletter is a publication of the Massachusetts Community College Council. The Newsletter is intended to be an information source for the members of the MCCC and for other interested parties. The material in this publication may be reprinted with the acknowledgment of its source. For further information on issues discussed in this publication, contact Catherine Boudreau, Massasoit Community College, Brockton, MA 02402. |
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