Thursday, May 31, 2012

Bargaining Highlights: May 29, 2012

What was billed as the final bargaining session of the year turned out to be anything but that.  Here is a summary of what took place.

Article 5:  Our proposal:

5.08           Timely Notification of Board of Trustees’ Agenda
The PSCFA shall have access to the monthly Board of Trustees’ agendas no later than 12 business days prior to each scheduled meeting. Should the agenda not be provided within this time frame, the College shall waive the required 10-day notification for addressing the Board.

Their response-No!  We should be able to guess what will be on the agenda and make a request to speak to the BOT without having actually seen the agenda.

Article 9: Our proposal (posted on the PSCFA website)-Declined!
Their proposal:  Add language specifying that a non-instructional duty day consists of 7 hours of OPA (All College Day language?). They would also like to strike the language requiring that they consult faculty when they increase the class size by  more than 10%.  They did remove language requiring OPA hours to be worked on campus.

Article 11: Biggest hang up- they are proposing language which would allow anonymous student evaluations to  be used to support disciplinary action
Article 17: They, after rejecting all of our proposals, proposed major changes in the timeline to be awarded  tenure, extended the minimum time frame for reaching full professor from 9 years to 12 years, and struck protective language in the discipline process.

Article 15: Our proposal (posted on the PSCFA website) contained an entire plan to help us secure a more equitable compensation plan and included safeguards to help alleviate current and prevent future salary inversion and compression problems. We concluded bargaining for the 2011 year with a promise from administration to address inversion and compression problems.  Once again, they have not kept their promise.  All of our requests were rejected, and they, in turn, proposed a flat 2% raise in a year that has recorded a 3.6% cost of living increase. A modest increase to promotion pay was offered as well.

Please make plans to attend our next bargaining session. It will be held on Friday, June 8, at 9:30 in the Atwell Room (Room 2052 in the Library).  We need your support!  Much is on the line--promotions, continuing contract, salary.  Lend your voice and your support by attending! 







              


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Be strong and stand up for what you believe. The college faculty are not treated as they should be.
I don’t understand the resistance to having the Board materials posted in a timely manner. Do know that the list of the next FY contract renewals is only going to the Board at the June 26 meeting. How does this happen so close to the first day of new contracts which is July 1? Just another example of top administrator (Meadows, Spicer, Gilliam…) sneaky and less than transparent behavior.
Faculty are a key element to the college. Stay tough.

Anonymous said...

YOU write: Article 5: Our proposal:

5.08 Timely Notification of Board of Trustees’ Agenda
The PSCFA shall have access to the monthly Board of Trustees’ agendas no later than 12 business days prior to each scheduled meeting. Should the agenda not be provided within this time frame, the College shall waive the required 10-day notification for addressing the Board.

Their response-No! We should be able to guess what will be on the agenda and make a request to speak to the BOT without having actually seen the agenda.

WE write:
The agenda is one thing, but what about the board materials. These are the materials the BOT sees before the meeting, and approves at the meeting. As of today (06/25) board materials were still being edited. Hint - renewed (or not renewed) contracts.