BROWARD CC AT IMPASSE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2007

BCC TRUSTEES DECLARE IMPASSE IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

The Broward Community College District Board of Trustees has declared an impasse in its contract negotiations with the Broward Community College chapter of the United Faculty of Florida.

Negotiations between the BCC chapter of the United Faculty of Florida began in April and 14 negotiating sessions were held during the time period between April 12 and September 17.

The BCC administration’s bargaining team members are: Dr. Edna Chun, chief negotiator, vice president for human resources and equity, David Asencio, dean of student affairs, A. Hugh Adams Central Campus, Dr. Hank Martel, dean of academic affairs, Judson A. Samuels South Campus, Miguel Menendez, dean of the FAU/BCC University/College Library, Central Campus.

The members of the United Faculty of Florida, BCC chapter negotiating team are: Dr. Daniel Rieger, chief negotiator, associate professor, Behavioral Sciences Dept., North Campus, Lorenzo Harrison, assistant professor of nuclear medicine assisting, North Campus, Maria Bernal-Dobek, assistant professor of reading, North Campus, Dr. Blaine Browne, senior professor, Behavioral Sciences Dept., North Campus.

Although progress was made during the negotiations, according to Chun, some issues remain outstanding, including resolution of the compensation and benefits package.

Despite budget difficulties resulting from reductions in state appropriations, the college has offered base salary increases, a strong benefits plan, and at the same time has maintained its commitment to meeting the demands of an increased student enrollment, avoiding layoffs, and filling all existing vacancies including faculty positions.

A significant issue during negotiations has been the maintenance of a competitive, affordable health plan for the college’s employees. College health care costs for fiscal year 2006 amounted to $11,361,411 and since fiscal year 1998, BCC’s health plan claims and expenses have risen 141%. As a result, the college’s Healthcare Taskforce, comprised of faculty, administrative, and professional technical staff representatives, unanimously recommended changes that would not change the employee contribution in the three types of health plans offered. Limited changes would be made to the pharmacy benefit plan and co-pays for doctors’ visits. BCC’s health insurance plan is one of the most competitive in the Florida community college system. The college subsidizes 82 percent of healthcare benefit costs, a higher percentage than the national average and that of other Florida community colleges. Some community colleges pay only 74 percent of their employees’ coverage, and do not offer as many options or choices of coverage as BCC. Even with the changes proposed by the Healthcare Taskforce, the college’s health plan provides a more competitive health care package than most employers in the private or public sector.

“Despite the fact that both negotiating teams have worked very hard, it is a difficult budget year and some issues still remain unresolved,” Chun said. “Ultimately, these issues have caused the college to bring the negotiations to a close and to ask the state’s impasse process to bring us to a resolution.”

The state’s Public Employee Relations Commission has been notified and the formal process will begin. The need to reach agreement on the health care plan is time sensitive, because the college’s health plan administrators will need to hold open enrollment and implement the policy changes soon for the needed plan changes to take effect.

Additionally, BCC administration proposed a base salary increase of $1000 for the year starting July 1, 2007 for all full-time instructional and non-instructional faculty. State agencies will only be awarding a non-basebuilding increment of 1000.

For BCC faculty, the $1,000 increase represents, on average, a boost of approximately 2 percent, with the highest percentage increases at entry level instructional positions of 3 percent. Eligible faculty may also receive additional increases for years of experience based on the faculty salary schedule.

The BCC District Board of Trustees already has approved a $1000 basebuilding increase for non-represented professional technical staff and administrators. This adjustment represents a 3 to 4 percent increase for entry-level and other lower-paid non-represented employees.

“The college believes that these are fair increases that are helpful to our lowest-paid employees especially, and are reasonable and prudent in light of state budget uncertainties,” Chun said.

“We appreciate that our college administration team and faculty union team have negotiated for many months in good faith, but they have not been able to reach agreement and it is time for us to use the state’s process to help us reach a resolution,” said Lourdes Garrido, chair of the BCC District Board of Trustees. “We are confident that we will soon be able to resolve these issues, and in the meantime our faculty, staff and administrators will continue to do a professional job focused on educating students.”

Cynthia A. Thuma Coordinator, communication and publications Broward Community College Willis Holcombe Downtown Center 225 E. Las Olas Boulevard, 302C Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301