April 6, 2008

Dear MSCA Faculty and Librarians:

As you know, the MSCA day unit contract expires on June 30, 2008. We commenced negotiations with the employer's representatives on February 4 and have held four bargaining sessions this semester. Additional sessions are scheduled for April 18 and May 1.

The number of sessions has been limited due to the fact that the Board of Higher Education, our employer of record, is reluctant to meet without an authorization from the Patrick administration to make an economic offer.

BHE Chairman Fred Clark and Education Advisor/Bridgewater President Dana Mohler-Faria met with the governor on April 1st to give him the most recent studies of faculty salaries at the state colleges and community colleges and explain the significance of the comparisons with peer institutions. This study is posted on the MSCA website http://mscaunion.org/news/080229.pdf.

On April 3rd, members of MTA higher education leadership and I met with the governor's chief of staff, Douglas Rubin. We emphasized to him the importance of getting a fair economic offer on higher education bargaining tables as soon as possible. The MSCA is working with the other MTA higher education units on bargaining strategies as well as state employee health insurance issues.

Governor Patrick will be speaking before the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on the morning of May 1st. Please plan to participate in activities on this day.

Chapter Presidents will be holding chapter meetings in the upcoming weeks to give you more information on the status of negotiations and activities that will be taking place in April and May. Your participation in these meetings and your support of our activities are crucial for our success at the bargaining table.

Pat Markunas
MSCA President

Previous Messages to the Membership
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000

MSCA Home/Messages to the Membership
4/7/08