April 2011 Voice.Indd
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of Higher Education Labor New Jersey VOICE Published by the Council of New Jersey State College Locals (AFT, AFL-CIO) 1435 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083 April 2011 NEGOTIATIONS WITH STATE BEGIN IN MAY mid-March each local had designated its representatives to President’s Report the Council’s bargaining team. The team reviewed the sur- Nicholas C.Yovnello vey results and the staff representative recommendations. n this era of political one-liners from On April 8, the Council’s full-time/part time unit and ad- our governor, the media is quick to junct faculty unit bargaining teams developed bargaining Icapture and spread the latest Chris- proposals to present to the State. tie sound bytes. There is litt le interest in Our negotiations with the State are scheduled to begin on covering issues in depth or fact-checking May 16, with subsequent dates set for later in May and June. the governor’s statements. Take collec- In preparation for the re-negotiation of our Statewide Agree- tive bargaining, for example. Governor ment, we have joined with other state employee unions to Christie’s one-liner that he favors collective bargaining is endorse a comprehensive proposal on state health benefi ts. contradicted by his steadfast refusal to negotiate over health The comprehensive proposal off ers a modifi cation to the benefi ts. Christie states that “dozens” of states deny collec- current 1.5% cost sharing agreement and it includes vari- tive bargaining rights to state employees – when in fact only ous ideas on cost savings. However, the CWA leadership in- fi ve states have enacted such legislation. Not “dozens”, not forms us that there has been no progress at all at the CWA one “dozen” – fi ve: Georgia, North Carolina, South Caroli- bargaining table. Instead, the State has proposed to remove na, Texas and Virginia. The major news outlets present these all language on health benefi ts from the CWA contracts In falsehoods unchallenged and can’t wait to set up their cam- fact, the State’s position is that health benefi ts are non-ne- eras for another of Christie’s staged “town hall meetings” gotiable. Senate bill S-2718, introduced by Senator Sweeney, where citizens, who have the nerve to disagree with him, would eliminate collective bargaining on health benefi ts but are shouted down when they att empt to make their points would reduce premium sharing costs for lower salaried em- when Christie refuse to engage in meaningful dialogue. ployees while phasing in higher premium sharing over four During February, the Council sent an electronic survey years as compared to Christie’s proposal. There is a chance to its members soliciting opinions on bargaining proposals. that Sweeney’s bill will be passed and both he and Assem- At the beginning of March, Council staff representatives re- bly Speaker Oliver are open to the unions helping craft de- viewed the record of grievances that occurred over the last sired modifi cations, which may also include a sunset clause. four years and other contract disputes and developed a list A worse case scenario is that Christie could impose his own of recommended changes in the grievance procedure. By changes at negotiations if impasse is reached. Soaring healthcare costs are not new. Unions know this Also In This Issue – we have known for years that health care costs have been outrunning the rate of infl ation. Health care cost coverage Should I Retire Before the Current State-Union and employee contributions have always been on the table Agreement Expires on June 30? ............................ 2 at past negotiations. In order to arrive at past agreements, Making a Difference Every Day, Our Work, state employee unions have sett led for salary freezes or min- Our Union, Our Students - AFT Higher imal increases to off set the State’s increased costs. At times Education Conference ............................................ 3 we have agreed to higher co-pays and, in the last round of Higher Ed Tenure Legislation negotiations, we agreed to premium sharing. The Coun- Temporarily on Hold ................................................ 5 cil has further att empted to constructively address rising AFT NJ State Federation “One Union-One Voice” healthcare costs by negotiating a Labor-Management Cost Conference ............................................................... 5 Containment Committ ee (See Lett er of Agreement V of our Council Offi cers Elected ......................................... 6 Agreement). However, the State has been reluctant to em- Council Locals Stage “We Are One” brace union proposals to help control costs over the years. Events on Campuses .............................................. 7 As a result, there has not been a meeting of the committ ee for over seven years. Continued on next page We anticipate that this will be the most difficult negotia- President’s Report tions that the Council and the other state public employee (from previous page) unions have ever faced. Governor Christie’s ham-handed plan to legislate health Finally, the recent NJ Supreme Court finding that Chris- benefits will hurt lower paid public employees the most; tie’s 2011 budget shortchanged public school funding bodes especially young employees who have just started their ca- ill for public higher education across the state. If there is reers and families. Coupled with arbitrary limits on salary court-ordered restoration of public education funding cuts, increases, the imposition of large health benefits contribu- the Governor has indicated he will further reduce the State’s tions is a direct attack on living standards. Like the rest of commitment to higher education funding. So far, Governor Christie’s initiatives, the governor’s healthcare legislation is Christie has proposed flat funding for our institutions that designed to weaken union power and augment the author- does not provide for payment of increments. This will make ity of management. The burden of the State’s fiscal woes it that much harder to make economic gains at the bargain- falls directly on our backs, while the Governor continues to ing table. Echoing the Race to the Top debacle, New Jersey default on the State’s pension contributions and shower the citizens and NJ higher education will continue to suffer be- wealthy and large corporations with tax cuts. cause of the governor’s mistakes. The Governor just released some more details of his plan In unity there is strength. Work with your local to build to legislate health benefits including possibly eliminating NJ up your membership and increase COPE contributions for Direct 15 and offering health plans with fewer benefits. Ac- the November elections. You cannot afford to sit out this tual details and analyses remain elusive. If Christie wants election. Just imagine for one minute the consequences of a cooperative reform and cost containment, he should negoti- Republican takeover of the Legislature - Wisconsin or worse. ate and not dictate how health benefits costs will be restruc- tured. – • – Should I Retire Before the Current State-Union Agreement Expires on June 30? et’s face it, the breath and scale new Agreement?” We can’t answer eligibility requirement from 25 years of of attacks on public employees that question for you, but we can say pension credit service to 30 years. If his Lin the media are unprecedented that if you have accrued twenty-five proposed legislation comes to pass, it and our Governor has made it clear years of pension credit service by June would mean that those employees who that he intends to hit us hard during 30, 2011 to be eligible for health care in have not accrued 25 years of pension negotiations, especially over pension retirement under the terms of the cur- credit service after June 30 would then benefits. He also wants to legislate rent contract, your benefits in Letter of need 30 years of service to be eligible health care benefits. It is not surprising Agreement IV (Health Care Benefits for health benefits in retirement and then, that in the last couple of months in Retirement) are guaranteed. Thus, most likely at a much higher cost to the Council office has received dozens there is no reason to rush into retire- them for premium sharing. of calls from senior staff and faculty ment, especially if you need more time If you do plan to retire soon, call the asking if this is the time to retire. to add to your ABP account. Council office at 908-964-8476 or send Most members ask two things: As for future retirees under a suc- an email to [email protected] to request a “Should I retire under the terms of the cessor agreement, the Governor is pro- retirement checklist. current Agreement?” and “What will posing a 30% premium sharing cost – • – our retirement benefits look like in the in retirement and an increase in the MEMBER ASSISTANCE SERVICE AVAILABLE If you need assistance with stress, mental health prob- or Other relationship issues - then don’t hesitate to con- lems or substance abuse that is affecting your job per- tact HCAM. formance—or if anyone in your family is experiencing This is a free service available to the entire bar- similar problems—help is available from Healthcare As- gaining unit—and yet another good reason to join the sistance with Member Support (HCAMS). If you have UNION. one or more of the following problems: Drug and alco- hol dependence; Stress related conditions; Sleeplessness; We encourage you to visit their website at www. Uncontrollable anger; Difficulties in concentrating; Dis- hcams.org or call 1-800-828-7826 ciplinary issues relating to health; Adolescent problems; 2 COLLEGE VOICE Making A Difference Every Day, Our Work, Our Union, Our Students - AFT Higher Education Conference n April 1-3, 2011, AFT mem- solidarity with our brothers and sisters bers from across the nation in the NJ labor and social justice move- Ogathered for AFT’s Higher Ed- ments, while Siefring provided an ucation Issues Conference in Philadel- analysis of the MOA on Wage Freeze phia, PA.