Nov. 27: Unresolved Issues at the Bargaining Table

The Bad News
On November 8 (prior to our last two bargaining sessions), The College requested a mediator. 

As for the other 4 remaining unresolved issues, the College has informed us that they “are not moving” on our other requests.

Contract negotiations will reconvene in January, and a mediator will be joining us at the bargaining table.

Unresolved Issue #1: Paid Time Off 
Highlights 

• We currently have 1 paid day off. 
• We have presented several proposals for increased time off or sick days.
• Instead of making any counter offer, The College has repeatedly denied our requests.

Unresolved Issue #2: Course Assignment, Cancellation, and Reassignment Processes (4.5, 4.10, and 4.11) 
Highlights

• Our main concern here is that current contract language does little to ensure course reassignment.
• AAFMCC has proposed that The College pay adjuncts a one-credit stipend if an adjunct does not receive a reassignment after their course has been cancelled or reassigned to another instructor.
• We feel that this course cancellation fee would motivate The College to offer reassignments for cancelled courses, and if a reassignment offer can’t be made, as a last resort, The College would pay the adjunct instructor a one-credit stipend to partially compensate for the lost course and for the work that they did to prepare for the course.  

Unresolved Issue #3: College-Wide Seniority for Online Teaching 
Highlights

• Currently, there is no consistency with regard to how seniority is determined for adjuncts who teach online.
• AAFMCC contends that since online teaching is not physically carried out at Center or South Campus, seniority for online teaching should be college wide--NOT campus specific.

Unresolved Issue #4: Salary (Section 15) 

Highlights

• The greatest increases are concentrated in Steps 2 and 3.
  • ​​Approximately 90% of us are at Step 4, so these increases are deceptive in the way that they will only benefit a small percentage of us.
• The College’s Salary Proposal still only has 4 steps, and since most of us are already at Step 4, the longstanding problem remains: we still have no opportunities for step advancement.
• What The College is offering us is hardly competitive with adjunct faculty rates at comparable community colleges.

• The Step 4 Winter 2019 ($832.57), 2019-2020 ( $853.38), and 2020-2021 ($874.71) proposed salary rates are lower than the 2018/CURRENT average rate of $884.01 at comparable colleges.
  • That means that in 2021, when we’re earning $874.71 per credit hour, we will still be making less than the 2018 average of $884.01.
• MCC is a tier one school. St. Clair Community College is tier two school, and their adjuncts secured some pretty hefty raises in their new contract.
  • In 2019-2020, St. Clair will be at $850/credit hour
  • In 2020-2021, St. Clair will be at $1000/credit hour
    • MCC is only offering us $874.71 for 2020-2021. This is hardly a competitive rate for a tier one community college.