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March 2009, Volume 23, Issue 1 - SMC Hourly Faculty: An Unprecedented Settlement |
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Originally published in the Advocate in September 1993.
By Lantz Simpson
Faculty Association members and the Board of Trustees have approved the new collective bargaining agreement at SMC. The agreement includes positive and unprecedented provisions for hourly faculty.
The FA Negotiating Team reached table agreement with District negotiators on June 14. The vote of the Association members tallied on July 1 was 227 in favor of the new contract, and only 4 opposed. The Board formally approved the agreement at its July meeting. The contract is in effect for all of 1993.
The new contract provides for a 65% pro rata pay schedule beginning fall semester for the three-fourths of hourly faculty who teach 1.0 load factor classes. On the old hourly pay schedule, two-thirds of this faculty were making from 53% to 57% pro rata. Therefore, over half of the hourly faculty’s salaries have been ad-justed in a historic step toward pay equity. Hourly faculty teaching classes with less than a 1.0 load factor will make from 70% to 95% pro rata on the 1993 hourly salary schedule.
A second new provision grants one year employment contracts for up to 25 hourly fac-ulty. In the fall a committee of faculty and ad-ministrators will determine implementation. The final agreement on this particular provision was not what FA negotiators wanted. It was not what the interim study group recommended. However, it is an important precedent-setter. The FA will bargain aggressively in this fall’s negations for a more comprehensive and fairer plan.
As part of the new agreement, Emeritus College faculty are now in the bargaining unit represented by the Faculty Association. Under the Rodda Act, the Emeritus College faculty have the right to collective bargaining represen-tation. Forty Emeritus College faculty had peti-tioned the FA, asking to be included in the unit. The Board has now agreed to the inclusion.
In addition, hourly faculty will be eligible to participate in IRS Section 125 plans. A number of faculty persons could reduce their federal in-come tax using the 125. Those who are paying for their own family medical coverage as a bene-fit under the contract may use the 125 to reduce taxable income. Some dependent care expenses out-of-pocket may qualify also. In the fall, fac-ulty will receive detailed information from the benefits office regarding signing up for the 125 plan.
Kudos goes to Teri Bernstein, FA President and Chief Negotiator, and Negotiating Team members Jim Prickett and Phil Wall. As secre-tary for the Team, I sat through hours of tough bargaining and I was impressed by the skill and determination of the entire Team. In addition, the hourly faculty rep on the Negotiating Coun-cil, Bill Price, and the Chair of the Hourly Com-mittee, Mitra Moassessi, contributed heavily to the negotiating effort. The other members of the Negotiating Council, Carol Beckstead, Fran Chandler, and Harvey Stromberg, provided strong support for hourly negotiating goals. Say thanks to all these people next time you see them!
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