December 6, 2004

Dear Trustee Chair:

I am writing to all chairs of state college boards of trustees on behalf of the faculty and librarians of the state colleges.

Article XIX of the collective bargaining agreement between the Massachusetts State College Association/MTA/NEA and the Board of Higher Education provides as follows: “Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit the Board of Trustees of any College from correcting any salary inequity in accordance with the formula set forth in Article XIII-A.”

Article XIII-A sets forth a minimum salary formula for employees covered by the Agreement. Because one element of the formula is a dollar amount based on years of relevant employment, some members of the bargaining unit, i.e., those whose salaries were close to or at the minimum when the last increases were implemented, are now below the minimum formula because they have accrued additional years of employment.

The last across-the-board increase for this bargaining unit was September 29, 2002. The Board of Higher Education offered zero for FY 2004, and as of this date the matter of raises for FY 2004 is still in fact-finding. The BHE has offered 1%-1%-1% for FY 2005 through FY 2007, an offer that is nowhere close to a settlement figure even without all the other settlement-blockers in the BHE proposal. Each time we meet for negotiations, the BHE representative tells us that there is still no more money on the table. This is the BHE’s position even after the faculty salary study, in which the BHE participated, showing that state college faculty are paid 18% less than those at peer institutions selected by the BHE!

The Agreement does not provide for automatic step increases or cost-of-living increases. Nor does it mandate that all unit member salaries be increased as is necessary to keep up with the minimum salary formula. The faculty and librarians affected are the lowest paid members of the bargaining unit, when academic rank, highest earned degree and years of experience are taken into consideration. Unless the Trustees voluntarily agree to increase the salaries of those who are now below the minimum, these unit members will continue to be paid less than the formula allows.

The MSCA Board of Directors has discussed this situation and is of the opinion that it is an example of the kind of salary inequity that is within your power to correct in accordance with Article XIX.

I am therefore asking that you take this matter up with your Board of Trustees and agree to instruct the College President to implement all salary increases needed to bring MSCA unit members’ salaries up to the current minimum formula, preferably as of July 1, 2003 with a subsequent adjustment as of July 1, 2004.

I would be happy to attend any Board of Trustees meeting where this proposal would be discussed.

Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.

Sincerely,
Patricia V. Markunas
President, MSCA

cc: Chapter President
MSCA Board Member
President of the College