May 5, 2008
Dear MSCA Faculty and Librarians:
I am pleased to report that the House amended its budget to exclude proposed increases in health insurance premiums for state employees. The amendment was "bundled" with several others and passed unanimously. Our thanks go to Arline Isaacson, our MTA higher education lobbyist, and everyone who made calls or sent emails to their representatives.
The health insurance bill for part-time faculty is still in Senate Ways & Means. Contact your state senator and urge them to contact Senate President Murray and Ways & Means Chair Panagiotakas to urge their support of the bill.
The two events related to bargaining strategy were a success last week. Although our plans for a flyover were rained out, leafleting occurred at the 4/29 Founders' Day speech by the governor, and MSP president Max Page had an opportunity to talk directly with the governor. The leafleting at the 5/1 Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce speech went well; press coverage is available on the Metrowest Daily News website.
Thanks go to Ann Mrvica, Fitchburg Chapter president, for making the press contact for us, and to twelve hearty souls from seven campuses who arrived in Boston at 7:00 am to leaflet. The governor was interviewed by the Metrowest reporter, as were officials in the Office of Employee Relations.
May 12th will be the next day that the membership will be asked to send emails, faxes, letters and phone calls to the governor's office. We hope to have all of the higher education unions join us for this action. A reminder email will be sent later this week.
Leafleting will take place at all commencements scheduled for May. Your chapter president will have more information later this month.
If activities continue into June, we will picket the June 20th Board of Higher Education meeting at Worcester State College and leaflet the June 21st commencement at Mass Maritime. Please hold these dates on your calendar now.
Pat Markunas MSCA President
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