What's Really Happening
Columbus State Education Association Newsletter of November 22, 2002
BOARD REJECTS FACT FINDER'S REPORT
After meeting behind closed doors Thursday night, the Board of Trustees unanimously rejected the fact finder's report that would have approved a reduced salary schedule for full-time faculty. We were hopeful that our nearly year-long efforts to improve working conditions and make faculty salaries comparable to other state community colleges would produce an agreement with the administration.
In a press release issued Thursday night, the administration claimed that the salary schedule recommended by the independent fact finder would cost "over $7 million more than the salary increases proposed by the College." There's no point in mincing words: this is a bald lie, one the administration apparently hopes will be swallowed whole by College employees, our students, and the public. When asked directly by the fact finder if the administration was arguing that it could not afford the raises, its negotiators said they were NOT.
Also, the administration negotiating team NEVER produced a detailed financial projection of the estimated costs of its own salary proposal at any time in eight months of negotiations. Every CSEA salary proposal contained detailed estimates, and none approached the numbers the administration is tossing out now.
Despite what its press release claims, the College's final salary offer at the fact finding hearing was this: 3% retroactive to January 1, an additional 2% retroactive to July 1, another 3% on July 1, 2003, and 0% in 2004, with the possibility that the College would re-open salary talks at that time. This adds up to a 1.8% annual increase over three-and-a-half years.
UNION VOTE ON FACT FINDER'S REPORT
CSEA will hold meetings Monday and Tuesday, November 25 and 26, from 3-6 p.m. in UN 138-139 to conduct a vote on whether the union will accept or reject the fact finder's report. The Negotiating Team will be available to answer questions and discuss options for action. Come when you can on either day, and leave when you must.
Members may attend and vote any time after the Negotiating Team has made its recommendation on the report. Faculty who have not paid their dues may pay at the door.
What's Really Happening is produced by the Communications Committee of the Columbus State Education Association. We welcome your comments, news, and insights.
Steve Abbott, President / x5096
Karl Rieppel, Vice President / x2500
Amy Brubaker, Secretary and Association Representative / x5068
Greg Goodhart, Treasurer / x5431
Darrell Minor, Parliamentarian / x5310
Bill Mundy, Association Representative / x5176
Dr. Jane McDowell, Association Representative / x2656
Dave Busch, Association Representative / x5079
Dr. Charlie Gallucci, Association Representative / x5499
Leslie Smith, Association Representative / x5302
Dr. Wendy McCullen-Vermillion, Association Representative / x2693
Lisa Schneider, Association Representative / x5124