Messages to the Membership-Pres. Pat Markunas: MSCA

October 5,2003

Dear Colleagues:

As you know, 23 higher education contracts, affecting 13,500 faculty, staff and administrators in Massachusetts, remain unfunded by the Legislature, despite a surplus in state accounts of $726,000,000. This impasse has negatively affected the MSCA's ability to conduct negotiations for both bargaining units -- day and DGCE. Comprehensive reports about bargaining will be published in the October issue of the MSCA Perspective.

I have written an op-ed piece on the need to fund the contracts, which has been accepted for publication by the Boston Globe. The publication date has yet to be set by the editor.

Last month, the MSCA voted to make the funding of these contracts the top priority for legislative action. The MTA Executive Committee voted to make the issue the Number One priority for all MTA staff and divisions over the next four to six weeks. A comprehensive campaign to get these contracts funded is currently underway.

Some actions to be taken include:

1) in-district meetings of MTA members with key legislators to support funding a supplemental budget to cover the contracts.

2) a statewide lobbying day, scheduled for October 22, at the State House in Boston. 3) circulation of a letter of support by Senator John Kerry among the Massachusetts congressional delegation.

3) circulation of a letter of support by Senator John Kerry among the Massachusetts congressional delegation.

4) daily picketing and information distribution at the State House, sponsored by Higher Education Unions United.

5) a postcard lobbying campaign, similar to one that was successful for MSCA's contract funding, to include all higher education members.

6) picketing at public appearances by Governor Romney.

7) plans by Higher Education Unions United to picket next summer's Democratic National Convention and Democratic State Convention, should current efforts to fund the contracts not be successful.

MSCA members will be asked to support many of these efforts. For further information, check the MTA website at . Thank you for your help in securing funding for the contracts of our colleagues in higher education.

Pat Markunas
MSCA President

 

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