29 March 2001
April 4th Rally
On Wednesday, April 4 there will be a rally to "Keep the Public in Public Education". The primary themes of the rally are quality and access in public higher education. The MSP is joining in this effort, with a focus on the issue of public funding for UMass-Amherst, improving quality by rebuilding our faculty base and library as well as improving access for students of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. The rally will be held at noon on the Student Union steps. The MSP strongly encourages all faculty and librarians to attend.
Continuing Education
As reported recently in the media, the UMass administration has voluntarily extended MSP’s jurisdiction to include the work of our unit members in continuing education. This is an important first step in negotiating a collective bargaining agreement to cover distance education, most notably UMass Online. The MSP is currently formulating a "bargaining issues" committee to study contractual provisions in other universities and to identify the issues specific to UMass Online. If any unit member has an interest in this issue and is willing to volunteer some time to either serve on the committee, or provide input, please contact the MSP office at msp@external.umass.edu.
MSP Elections
Elections for MSP officers and Executive Board members will be held at the MSP office on Tuesday, April 3 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Please vote!
Bargaining Update
Contract negotiations with the Administration formally began with the exchange of initial proposals by the parties on February 8, 2001. The MSP's Executive Board and bargaining team pressed for an early start to negotiations this year, to improve the chances for a financial settlement while state revenues remain stable, and to ensure that the new contract will be in effect when the current contract expires. The Administration shares the aim to resolve the matter without delay.
The MSP, bargaining together with the FSU in Boston, proposes a number of contract improvements: a fair salary package, increases in promotion increments, continued professional development monies as well as PMYR college development funds, and a larger health & welfare fund contribution, among others. At a recent negotiating session, over 20 MSP members gave compelling personal testimony to the Administration team in support of our proposals for family leave and child care improvements, and to reverse the decline in the number of tenured/ tenure track faculty. The Administration has proposed some changes in various provisions, including salary structure, some policy changes and matters affecting unit librarians. Negotiations continue on a weekly basis, and hopefully will yield a new agreement soon.
-- Beth Boyer, for the MSP/FSU Bargaining Team
MSP Bargaining Team Members MSP Bargaining Issues Committee
Beth Boyer, Chief Negotiator, MTA Dianne Brooks, Legal Studies
Dan Clawson, Sociology Frank Borgers, Labor Center
Eliot Moss, Computer Science George Cernada, Comm. Health Stu.
Michael Davis, Library Robert Paynter, Anthropology
Lisa Saunders, Economics Stephanie Luce, Labor Center
Sundar Krishnamurty, M & I Engr.
Merit in July: Personnel Committees be Prepared!!
If we finish the contract negotiations in a timely fashion, and if the legislature approves the money package therein, it is possible that we will have a merit pool to distribute in July. This pool will be based on your Annual Reports for the 1999-2000 academic year. Therefore, we are urging Personnel Committees to review those Annual Reports and prepare their recommendations for merit to cover that period of time. The administration has agreed that the money will be paid if it is available and if the necessary recommendations (across campus) have been made.
-- Mary Fletcher, MSP Executive Director
Income Tax Info
MSP members working full-time who had their dues deducted from their paychecks paid a total of $575.60 during calendar year 2000. If you were an agency fee payer or if you worked less than full-time, please contact Lori Reardon at 5-2206 for that figure.
