JANUARY 29, 2004
CONTRACT RATIFICATION ANNOUNCEMENT
Colleagues:
On a Council of Presidents' call on January 13, we discussed the ratification of the re-opener Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was submitted a week later on a conference call to the CFA Board of Directors. On the latter call, the CFA Board ratified the Agreement. I noted on those calls that we expected the Board of Trustees to ratify the Agreement at its January meeting, which it did on January 26-27 in Long Beach.
The parties agreed that it was important to ratify the agreement as soon as possible to insure that the process did not become embroiled in the current politics of California's budget. Rapid ratification also allows the CFA to turn to the important business of protecting the University from the ravages of the proposed reductions to CSU's budget.
I invite everyone to join me in extending our gratitude to the Bargaining Team, to Ed Purcell, Director of Representation and Bargaining, and to Bob Muscat, General Manager, whose hard work and dedication brought these negotiations to a successful conclusion.
This round of negotiations was conducted in a difficult economic and political milieu. The CBA protects the gains of the past contracts, and makes further progress in our attempt to provide for the members of bargaining unit 3. That this Agreement was reached in such adverse times also reflects on the willingness of the CSU administration to engage in sincere bargaining, indicating a commitment to cooperation; we hope this cooperation will extend into our campaign to protect the CSU.
In union,
John Travis
President, CFA
 |
JANUARY 5, 2004
Tentative Agreement in Reopener Bargaining
Negotiators for the California Faculty Association and the California State University administration reached tentative agreement on Monday, December 22, in Sacramento on all the provisions of re-opener bargaining except for one issue to be discussed in early January. The outstanding issue does not involve any statewide contractual matters; it concerns some policy disagreements at individual campuses which CFA and the administration will settle before signing the new agreement.
What began as re-opener negotiations over a final year of a three-year contract turned into a discussion of other issues because the dramatic budget crisis assured that there was no reasonable expectation of funding for salary increases or additional benefits. In fact, given the projection of a worse budget year in 2004-2005, CFA and the CSU administration agreed to extend the contract for an additional year, freezing and protecting salaries and benefits as they are now. The current contract therefore will extend until June 30, 2005; the parties will return to the bargaining table in March of that year.
After analyzing developments in the legislature and assessing the initial actions of the new administration, CFA’s Bargaining Team felt that extending and protecting current salaries and benefits was the best and wisest strategy for the next eighteen months. In addition, the new agreement resolves a number of other important issues that the union believes support the extension.
Two years without a general salary increase is a sacrifice, especially given that faculty salaries did not match the increases of comparison institutions during more robust economic times measured by the California Post-Secondary Education Commission. But the two-year period will allow us to focus attention on standing up for the CSU – fighting additional budget cuts and working for a rational student fee structure. In the current political and fiscal environment, faculty need to stand up for accessibility and quality.
The CFA Bargaining Team has given its tentative approval to the general terms of the agreement, but when the campus policy language is completed, the entire agreement must be reviewed by the CFA Chapter Presidents and approved by the Board of Directors. The following is a summary of the tentative agreements that have been reached:
Workload
Tenure-Track Searches: The administration agreed to initiate a number of searches in 2003/2004 equal to the number of faculty employee separations between September 1, 2002 and August 31, 2003. [Note: These searches are to be exempt from the voluntary hiring freeze announced by the Chancellor’s Office on December 18, 2003.]
Workload Committee: The parties agreed to establish a committee to investigate workload issues in preparation for bargaining the successor contract in 2005.
Salaries
Twelve-month Department Chairs: CFA and the administration recognize the salary inequity for twelve-month department chairs who did not receive an adjustment in the current contract. Unfortunately, because of the budget crisis facing California, the agreement to provide such an increase had to be tied to a budget trigger that is unlikely to be achieved. This provision does memorialize conceptual agreement on the issue, and prepares the way for the increase in more normal budgetary times. The tentative agreement stipulates:
Twelve-month department chairs who did not receive salary increases under the current contract will receive a 7% increase in that portion of their assignment as department chair on July 1, 2004 subject to the following provision: this benefit shall become effective only in the event that the final State General Fund budget appropriation to the CSU for fiscal year 2004/2005 equals or exceeds $2.468 billion, excluding any increase from fiscal year 2003/2004 in funds received for retirement contributions and health benefits contributions. [Note: this ‘trigger” is based on the general fund appropriation to the CSU for this fiscal year minus the mid-year cuts for Winter Quarter/Spring Semester 2004.]
Salary Structure Committee: The parties agreed to establish a committee to investigate the entire salary structure of bargaining unit 3 in preparation for successor bargaining in 2005.
Direct Deposit: The program for direct deposit of salaries shall be extended to all faculty employees.
Benefits
Rural Health Subsidy: The administration shall provide a $500.00 subsidy for all faculty employees living in those counties where an HMO is not available in AY 2003/2004 and AY 2004/2005.
CalPERS Retirement Benefits: The parties recognize the need to extend retirement benefits to part-time faculty who teach at the .4 time base. Unfortunately, because of the budget crisis facing California, the agreement to provide such a benefit had to be tied to a budget trigger that is unlikely to be achieved. This provision does memorialize conceptual agreement on the issue, and prepares the way for the extension in more normal budgetary times. The tentative agreement stipulates:
The administration shall provide retirement benefits to part-time faculty employees at a time base of .4 or greater beginning on July 1, 2005, as provided in AB 2549 subject to the following provision: this benefit shall become effective only in the event that the final State General Fund budget appropriation to the CSU for fiscal year 2004/2005 equals or exceed $2.468 billion, excluding any increase from fiscal year 2003/2004 in funds received for retirement contributions and health benefits contributions. [Note: this ‘trigger” is based on the general fund appropriation to the CSU for this fiscal year minus the mid-year cuts going into effect Winter Quarter/Spring Semester 2004.]
Fee Waiver: The parties agreed to waive some additional fees and to seek legislative relief on others.
Retirement
“Golden Handshake:” The parties agreed that the administration shall seek an Executive Order to provide a retirement incentive program (“Golden Handshake”) that would provide faculty unit employees two years’ service credit. The program will go into effect with the beginning of Spring Quarter 2004 for quarter campuses if possible. If the campus president determines a programmatic need in a department exists, only 25% of that department can enter the program based on seniority. The program is not available to those entering FERP.
Faculty Early Retirement Program: The five year FERP will be extended until June 30, 2005. Faculty employees can elect to enter the program up to the end of the contract (i.e., faculty employees can begin the actual FERP in the 2005-2006 academic year).
Faculty employees in the FERP may take a leave without pay during the length of the contract without affecting the number of years available in FERP.
Faculty employees in the FERP may serve on personnel committees where permitted by the campus president.
Maximum period of FERP employment for librarian faculty is 50% of the regular work year subject to any CalPERS limitation.
Parking
Pre-Tax Deductions: Parking fees will be deducted from pre-tax salary.
Parking Fee Increases (side letter): Parking fees are frozen for academic year 2003-2004. No fee increases can be proposed under the conditions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement prior to January 1, 2005.
Layoff
Lecturers’ Layoff: The parties agreed to the order of layoff for lecturer faculty.
Counselors’ Layoff: The parties agreed to the order of layoff for counselor faculty.
Notification
Sick Leave: The administration agreed to notify all faculty employees of sick leave accrual annually, and to institute monthly notification as soon as possible.
Lecturer Range Elevation: The administration agreed to notify annually part-time faculty employees eligible for salary range elevation.
Duration
Contract Extension: The current contract will be extended until June 30, 2005. The administration waived its right during the life of the contract to invoke Article 41, Section 3, which states in part: “If less than the amount needed to implement this Agreement is appropriated and made available to the CSU for expenditure, the term(s) of this Agreement deemed by the CSU to carry economic cost shall automatically be subject to the meet and confer process.”
Miscellaneous
The parties agreed to amend the method of measuring seniority dates, and to changes in some classification categories and schedules.
Article 3 Process
As noted above, there are a number of policies developed at local campuses that the CFA believes fall within the scope of bargaining. The parties agreed to a process by which these policies could be addressed and expedited if necessary. Several policies currently outstanding require settlement prior to ratification.
|
