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October 18, 2005
Dear Members of the CUNY Community,
The PSC negotiating team returned to the
bargaining table on October 6 with a mandate from the membership
not to accept a contract that imposes further austerity on CUNY
faculty, staff and students. That was the unmistakable message
from the 1200 members at the September 29 mass meeting, and from
members across the University at scores of meetings on campuses
last month.
We have met each week since
September 29, and have additional discussions scheduled. The
union has also engaged in renewed and intense discussions with
the State and with Chancellor Goldstein, as we continue our push
for a fair contract by November 3. The bargaining sessions have
been productive, because we made progress on some issues for
both sides. But the central problem - the inadequacy of
management's economic package-so far remains unchanged. The PSC
has called for continuing contract talks in the next two
weeks-to which management has agreed - and we will continue to
press for an increased economic package. We also said we were
ready to engage in round-the-clock negotiations, if necessary,
to reach a settlement by November 3.
At
the October 6 collective bargaining session, the PSC
representatives discussed the possible implications of the
tentative UFT settlement for our contract. We said that the UFT
agreement demonstrates that the City is willing to invest in a
public education contract. Our members will now be expecting a
similar investment by the City and State in a contract for the
PSC. We asked the management representatives to focus again on
the union's proposal, particularly our proposal for a rate
increase in the first year, and for percentage increases higher
than management's 2.5% and 2.75% in the second and third years.
We told management that if they offer less than the UFT was
offered in its tentative contract, they will be sending a
message that CUNY faculty and staff are not as highly valued as
K-12 teachers.
In the context of the UFT agreement, which
grants higher raises than the City "pattern" partly in return
for increased time on the job, we argued that CUNY faculty and
staff have already increased productivity as enrollment has
risen and other demands on us have increased. We believe that
our compensation should reflect that increase in productivity,
and we offered to work with management to document it.
Management's response was that the
State as well as the City has to agree to the PSC settlement,
and the UFT settlement is with the City only. Management also
emphasized that the UFT agreement includes increased "time on
task." After lengthy discussion of the increases in
productivity we have already made, the PSC negotiating team
called on management to advocate for a richer economic
settlement, and to work creatively with us to achieve it by
November 3.
In an effort to move the process
forward, the union representatives
indicated that we would be willing
to be flexible about implementation dates for raises within a
given contract year.
We also indicated that we are
willing to explore the possibility of an
extension of the contract for a
limited number of months beyond the
four-year period of both union and
management proposals, provided we get full value for these
months. The tentative UFT settlement covers four years and four
months.
Again in an effort to move the
process forward, union representatives told management that we
were willing to put on the table a narrowed list of demands,
provided management did the same. Management agreed.
In the ensuing discussion, the PSC
reiterated its absolute opposition to management's concessionary
demands. Meanwhile, management moved toward tentative
agreements on some PSC issues. Detailed discussion of these
proposals will continue at the next bargaining sessions. In
return, the PSC said that the union would agree-only in the
context of an overall settlement that meets our needs-to
increase the number of Distinguished Professors allowed under
the contract.
On October 12 the two sides
returned to the bargaining table. Management reiterated their
remaining demands, with special emphasis on the removal of
department chairs from the union and the reduction of annual
leave for full-time faculty. PSC representatives made it clear
that the membership will not accept a contract that takes the
department chairs out of the union. We also expressed our
strong opposition to management's other concessionary demands.
Meanwhile, however, we continued
to make progress on some PSC issues. The union also raised
again our willingness to work with management on such issues as
an extension of the contract for a few months beyond four years
to enable us to reach a good settlement.
Informal talks will continue this
week, with a return to the bargaining
table on October 26. Buoyed by
your _expression of support for the contract we need, the PSC
negotiating team will continue to work tirelessly to reach an
agreement. Management is clearly feeling the pressure of your
resolve; it's important to demonstrate that this week with
strong informational pickets and masses of signatures to the
public petition of support. At the meeting on September 29, I
called for an unprecedented effort this month, and hundreds of
you assented. Now is the time to make that effort-even one hour
on your campus picket line on the 19th or 20th will add to our
collective power.
In solidarity,
Barbara Bowen
PSC President
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