From: Pmarkunas@aol.com
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003
Subject: MTA Update #4

Update #4: Contract bill expected on governor's desk next week
Issued at 11:30 p.m. Nov. 14

The bill to fund the higher education contracts is expected to reach the governor's desk next week. On Thursday, the House and Senate both overwhelmingly approved supplemental budget bills containing the contract funding. Next week, a House-Senate conference committee will reconcile the two bills and send the measure on to Governor Mitt Romney.

The bill passed the House on a voice vote, with none of the 157 members present dissenting. The Senate vote was 34 to 0.

"We applaud the Legislature's action in voting to fund the higher education contracts," said MTA President Catherine A. Boudreau."In doing so, the Legislature has honored the state's promise to 13,000 public higher education employees who have been waiting nearly three years for their negotiated pay raises. "Equally important, the Legislature has kept faith with the people of Massachusetts, who need and deserve a system of public higher education that offers excellence, access and affordability," Boudreau continued. "The legislative leadership and rank-and-file members have made right a long-standing wrong, and for this they deserve our thanks and gratitude."

According to legislative leaders:

• All affected employees will be brought up to their negotiated salary levels in January 2004.


• Part of the retroactive monies will be paid in July, at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2005.


• The rest of the retroactive monies will be paid in subsequent fiscal years.

These last two points were made as a verbal pledge by legislative leaders during a one-hour meeting with union leaders on Nov. 12. The legislators stressed the importance of honoring the state's commitment to the negotiated contracts. The Nov. 12 meeting included Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran, Sen. Therese Murray, chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee; Rep. John H. Rogers, chair, House Ways and Means Committee; Rep. Salvatore F. DiMasi, House majority leader; Rep. Lida E. Harkins, assistant House majority leader; Rep. Thomas M. Petrolati, second assistant House majority leader; and Sen. Steven C. Panagiotakos, vice chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee.

MTA leaders present at the meeting included President Boudreau, Vice President Anne Wass and Executive Director-Treasurer Edward P. Sullivan; Jenny Spencer, president, Massachusetts Society of Professors, UMass/Amherst; Robert Parkin, president, Massachusetts Society of Professors, UMass/Lowell; Elizabeth Mock, president, Faculty Staff Union, UMass/Boston; Donna Johnson, president, University Staff Association, UMass/Amherst; and David Morwick, president, Association of Professional Administrators.

The votes in the Legislature bring the campaign for contract funding " MTA's top priority" another key step closer to a successful conclusion.

After next week's final votes, Governor Romney will have 10 days either to sign the supplemental budget or veto it. If he vetoes it, the Legislature will have a chance to override that veto.