Volume 46, Issue 23
AprIl 8, 2011
Layoff notices to include top officials
Asked what movement the administration has made toward the faculty, Stedman said, “The administration has moved consistently towards the faculty on every economic issue.” In the area of health benefits, he said the administration has moved from 20 percent employee contribution to 13 percent. In the area of extra teach and summer teach, he said the administration has moved from $695.77 per credit for both, to $830 for extra teach and $1,000 for summer teach. In the area of retiree health, he said they moved from a $350 subsidy per month to a $525 subsidy with a 5 percent increase each year. In the area of salary, he said they moved from a zero percent cost of living adjustment increase at the top step (3.5 percent increase at the bottom step), to a zero percent increase for the first year of
By Jen Ashenberner The Advocate Seven layoff notices were issued to faculty members Mar. 31 as part of preparation for the 2012-13 budget proposal and MHCC President Dr. John “Ski” Sygielski said he expects administrators to receive notices as well. “There will be administrative layoffs,” he said in an interview Tuesday night. The names of the faculty members who are up for contract renewal will be listed in the April 13 board agenda according to vice-president of administrative services, Heidi Franklin. “This doesn’t necessarily mean those who received notices will not have a job,” said Franklin. “They could possibly bump somebody with less seniority out of their position.” Franklin said two years ago when the college issued layoff notices in the budget proposal, the notices were not honored because of the raise in the reserve fund from five percent to seven percent. “The more volatile revenue is, the more reserves you need to cushion your volatility,” Franklin said about why the board decided to raise the fund requirement. Franklin said even with “deep cuts in the middle of a biennium” the college was able to prevent any layoffs. In response to the possibility of administrative layoffs, Franklin said administrators are non-represented employees and do not work under contract. “It is clearly stated in the faculty contract that the college is to provide layoff notices by Mar. 31,” she said. In order to include the layoffs as part of savings in the budget proposed to the board on April 20, Franklin said it’s in the college’s best interest to issue those layoffs by the date stated in the contract. “The college is only required to issue administrators a 60 day notice,” said Franklin. “We haven’t had to do that yet, but they will be in the proposed budget April 20.”
See Contract on page 10
See Budget on page 11
Photo by Devin Courtright/The Advocate
Faculty members exit the Visual Arts Theater Wednesday night after an “overwhelming majority” voted to authorize a strike. No date for a strike has been set.
Contract progress possible; strike vote OK'd By Jordan Tichenor The Advocate The MHCC District board this week indicated there is possible common ground with the full-time faculty on several economic issues in their contract dispute while the faculty voted to authorize a strike in case negotiations do not significantly advance. The board Tuesday submitted a proposal to the Employment Relations Board that matches recent faculty movement on salary, health benefits, and some language in Article 1. Randy Stedman, the labor relations consultant hired by the board to bargain the contract for the administration, said he felt getting those three issues off the table would bring a resolution “closer.” Sara Williams, chief negotiator for the faculty, was notified Wednesday of the board action and said, “I am appreciative of
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the board providing an offer that moves forward negotiations. But the offer doesn’t resolve all of the issues.” On Wednesday, an “overwhelming majority” of the fulltime faculty association voted to authorize its bargaining team to call a strike if necessary, according to Sara Williams, the faculty’s chief negotiator. The main sticking points for the faculty have been in the areas of extra teach, summer teach, and retiree benefits. Following a 5:30 p.m. meeting, Williams said, “The hope is that a strike vote moves us forward in the conversation. We need the board to demonstrate an interest in finding a resolution.” She also said the faculty has “worked toward finding a middle ground. We want the board to do the same.” According to Williams, approximately 150 people voted, with about 90 percent voting
Club Fair to highlight extra-curricular activities
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in favor of authorizing a strike. The association did not announce its intent to strike, which would start a 10-day, state-mandated clock before a strike could legally begin. Williams said she was not willing to talk about the faculty’s discussion of going on strike, but that there has “not been a decision made” on a day to strike. Jack Schommer, immediate past MHCC Faculty Association president, said, “We will (strike), but we don’t want to. We’re not interested in a strike, but to get to a settlement. We have to do this.” Stedman said Wednesday night that while the board is “disappointed (the faculty) took a strike vote, they look forward to continuing to negotiate with them and try to reach a settlement.” No meetings had been set as of press time Thursday. Williams said, “This last (board) offer was the first significant movement toward the faculty.”
Javelin thrower breaks his own school record
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Filing deadline next week for ASG president