It has been almost seven months since I began my two-year term as your elected statewide MCCC President. During these seven months, I have learned a great deal about our statewide union that I didn’t know or appreciate as a member.
YOU are the union. If the Union is to work for YOU, you must know how the union works so you can be a knowledgeable voter and participant.
Directors are the most important positions in our Union. The management of the MCCC union is the responsibility of the Board of Directors, which consists of 21 voting members and four (4) non- voting members as follows :
Chapter Directors (15); one from each local chapter elected by all members.
Part-Time/Adjunct at-large Directors (2); elected statewide by all part-time professional staff and adjunct faculty. Statewide MCCC President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer (4).
Non-voting members include MCCC MTA Board of Director Members (3) and an NEA Director who is an MCCC member but whose duty is to represent the entire body of MTA members and not just the MCCC.
The Board decides by majority vote, with each voting member casting one vote.
How The Board Works: The Board meets the third Friday of most months; there are no meetings in July, December, or May. Elected Directors may receive scheduling accommodations in order to attend these meetings.
Two primary powers and duties of the Board per the MCCC Bylaws are:
Recommend policies or changes to policies to the Delegate Assembly (which generally meets each year on the third Saturday in April ). During the time between each yearly MCCC Delegate Assembly, the Board creates new policies and makes changes to existing policies. These policies should be reviewed by the members before being voted on by the Board, but sometimes the Board votes to override that notification requirement.
Adopt procedures and rules for conducting the business of the Council (the MCCC union). These are created internally within the Board and may or may not be communicated to the members.
Bylaws are available on the MCCC website (www.mccc-union.org) for members to view; policies are currently not available to members.
Chapters. There are 15 College Chapters with locally elected leaders who are the first line of contact with members at that college. Chapter elections typically follow the same timeline as the statewide officer elections; i.e. every two years. Each Chapter should hold an open and fully accessible election in March or April for the chapter positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Many chapters elect a statewide Professional Staff representative by a vote of only the professional staff members and elect a statewide Adjunct (DCE) representative by a vote of only the adjunct (non-full- time) faculty members.
How Chapters Work: According to the Day Collective Bargaining Agreement, “The Employer shall provide each Chapter President with a workload reduction of one (1) course section per semester without cost to the Association.”
The MCCC pays $500 for each Chapter Strategic Action Committee (SAC) representative and $500 for each Chapter Webmaster or Newsletter editor.
The MCCC offers a yearly Chapter Reassigned Time/Stipend “to broaden leadership and to develop new union talent.”
Chapters should hold monthly chapter meetings to which all members are invited.
Two primary powers and duties of Chapters are:
Assist the Council (statewide MCCC) in the administration of the collective bargaining agreements on their campuses.
Secure the advice and recommendations of their members when such is sought by the Council, the Board of Directors, or committees of the Council.
Members belong to the MCCC; chapters cannot charge dues. Chapter President should forward all messages sent by the MCCC President and should invite the MCCC President to attend chapter meetings or events.
If you want a democratic union, you must engage at whatever level you are able. Consider serving on a local or statewide committee. Consider running for a local chapter or statewide position. Attend a chapter meeting. Meet the local chapter officers and ask questions. Attend the MCCC Delegate Assembly in April as a chapter delegate. Take advantage of professional development opportunities offered by the MCCC, the MTA, and the NEA.
The strength of our statewide union rests on the strength of each individual chapter. Chapter strength rests on broad member engagement in leadership positions, attending meetings, and voting.
I ran for MCCC President to work with you to build your individual power and to build our collective power so we can improve our working conditions and improve the learning conditions of our students. If you are interested in receiving leadership training or would like to learn more about union opportunities, please contact me at president@mccc-union.org or by phone at 508-947-5822.
#Respect4MCCC.
In Solidarity
Diana Yohe, MCCC President