CONTRACT SUMMARY
September 20, 2007- October 19, 2010 Agreement between PSC and CUNY
What’s in the proposed contract?
GO TO: SALARY (GENERAL) | SALARY INCREASES FOR EQUITY | SALARY INCREASES FOR TOP STEPS | RETROACTIVE PAY | SUPPORT FOR PARENTS, FAMILIES, HEALTH | EXPANSION OF OUR RIGHTS | SUPPORT FOR MENTORING, RESEARCH | ADJUNCT ENHANCEMENTS | WELFARE FUND AND HEALTH INSURANCE | DISTINGUISHED LECTURERS AND CLINICAL PROFESSORS | EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS | CONTINUING EDUCATION | APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION
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DURATION
1. Term of the Agreement
September 20, 2007 through October 19, 2010: 37 months. All provisions of the 2002-07 Collective Bargaining Agreement remain in effect except as modified below.
2. Across-the-board salary increases
All employees in active pay status on the dates below, and all salary steps and ranges, receive the following increases. The total across-the-board increase, with compounding, is 10.5% by Fall 2009:
· 3.15%, effective September 20, 2007
· 4%, compounded, effective October 6, 2008
· 3%, compounded, effective October 20, 2009
3. Additional increases to top steps and salary ranges
Effective October 20, 2009, the following additional increases will be applied, in addition to the across-the-board increases outlined in #2:
· 1.04% increase to all incumbent full-time employees in titles with salary ranges (such as Law School and Medical School faculty), and to adjunct titles in the Law School;
· 3.1% increase to the top step of all annual titles with salary steps (such as Professor, Lecturer, CLT, HEO, Graduate Assistant);
· 5.75% increase to the top step of all adjunct titles with salary step schedules (such as Adjunct Lecturer, Adjunct Professor, Non-Teaching Adjunct, Adjunct CLT).
Some examples:
A Professor or Higher Education Officer on the top step of the salary schedule will see her salary go from $102,235 on 9/19/07 to $116,364 on 10/20/09, a 13.8% increase.
An Adjunct Lecturer on the top step will receive a 16.7% increase in his hourly rate of pay over the life of the contract, from $69.17 per contact teaching hour to $80.70 per hour, an increase of over $500 per 3-credit course.
An Assistant Professor or Higher Education Assistant in the middle of the salary schedule, at a salary rate of $56,024 in September 2007, will see his salary increase to $71,073 (up 26.9%) by the last day of the contract (10/19/10), as a result of both across-the-board and step increases.
A CLT in the middle of the salary schedule, earning $44,264 at the beginning of the contract, will experience step increases during the contract as well as contractual across-the-board increases. Her salary will increase to $53,362 by 10/19/10 (up 20.6%), and on 3/19/10 she will become eligible for an additional salary differential based on holding an advanced degree in a field related to her job ($1,000 for a master’s and $2,500 for a doctorate).
The 3.15% increase is retroactive to September 20, 2007; and if the new salary schedules are implemented later than October 6, 2008, the 4% increase will be retroactive to October 6, 2008. Members separated from employment after the salary increases take effect are entitled to retroactive pay for the time that they were in active pay status at CUNY.
5. Lecturer salary schedule
Effective March 19, 2010, each step on the Lecturer salary schedule will be increased by $1,000, over and above the salary increases in #2 and #3 above. For example, the salary of a Lecturer on the top step, currently $64,933, would increase to $66,978 effective September 20, 2007; to $69,658 on October 6, 2008; to $73,907 on October 20, 2009, and to $74,907 on March 19, 2010, a 15.4% increase.
6. CLT series and Assistant to HEO salary differential
Effective March 19, 2010, CLTs, Senior CLTs, Chief CLTs and Assistants to HEO who hold a master’s degree from an accredited university in a field related to their work will receive an annual salary differential of $1,000. Employees in these titles who hold a doctorate from an accredited university in a job-related field will receive an annual salary differential of $2,500.
7. Law School library faculty
Effective with the Fall 2009 semester, the top of the salary range for faculty in the Law School Library series will be made equal to the top of the salary range for other comparable Law School faculty titles.
SUPPORT FOR PARENTS, FAMILIES, HEALTH
8. Paid parental leave fund and Recruitment and retention fund
The PSC agreement with CUNY establishes a fund to pay for a parental leave benefit for up to eight weeks leave for full-time instructional staff (both faculty and professional staff) – mother and/or father and/or domestic partner – employed by CUNY and on a continuous leave of absence to care for a newborn or adopted child under one year of age. Funds for the benefit will be available starting October 5, 2008; it will not be retroactive prior to Fall 2008.
The benefit to be provided has not been determined, nor has the timeframe for implementation. Both are the subject of continuing negotiations with CUNY and the State. The union’s position is this benefit should be effective at the start of the Fall 2008 semester (Aug. 27).
Over the life of the current contract, $2.25 million is available for the parental leave fund. During contract negotiations, implementation of the PSC/CUNY paid parental leave benefit was made subject – by the State – to passage of pending, proposed legislation on paid family leave (which the PSC supports). That legislation did not pass the Legislature, so PSC and CUNY must meet to develop a proposed contractual benefit program, and the union does not anticipate problems in moving expeditiously to negotiate such a plan and resolve open issues. The proposed plan will be subject to approval by the State before it can be implemented.
The union and the University will also meet to develop a plan for the use of an additional $2.25 million available under the agreement for a recruitment and retention fund, consistent with PSC and University priorities.
9. Sick leave bank and dedicated sick days
All full-time faculty and staff will be eligible to participate in two forms of sharing sick days (“temporary disability leave”). The Dedicated Sick Leave policy will allow full-time faculty and staff to contribute sick days to a named individual who does not have enough accrued sick days to cover an acute medical need. The Sick Leave Bank will allow full-time faculty and staff to donate a certain number of sick days each year for use by any other qualifying participant in the Bank who is in need of additional days for illness. A labor-management committee will discuss implementation issues, including participation in the program by adjuncts.
10. Use of accrued sick leave for family care
Upon ratification, full-time faculty and staff will be entitled to use up to three accrued sick days (“temporary disability leave”) annually for the care of an ill family member. The provision will be subject to existing guidelines for the City of New York.
11. Use of college e-mail for union communication
Effective upon ratification of this Agreement, the PSC will be permitted to use all college electronic mail facilities for union communication – in addition to the existing right to use college mailroom facilities.
12. Access for retirees to college e-mail addresses
Faculty and staff will have continuing access to their CUNY electronic mail addresses after retirement, subject to University policies and procedures.
SUPPORT FOR MENTORING, RESEARCH
13. Pilot project on student mentoring
A labor-management committee will be convened to design a pilot student mentoring program for trial implementation in Fall 2009. The voluntary program will be designed to enhance students’ education and assist in student retention. It will include appropriate compensation for mentors.
14. Increase to PSC-CUNY Award Fund
Effective March 19, 2010, the total funding for the PSC-CUNY Research Awards will increase to $3,704,218.
15. Adjunct Professional Development Fund and HEO/CLT Professional Development Fund
The Adjunct Professional Development Fund will be renewed (see paragraph 16 below). The HEO/CLT Fund, as an existing provision of the contract, will continue at its present level of funding.
16. Adjunct Professional Development Fund
The Adjunct Professional Development Fund will be renewed, with annual contributions of $500,000 by CUNY in each of the next three years, for a total of $1.5 million. The first $500,000 will be effective September 28, 2008, the second on October 5, 2009, and the third on October 5, 2010. The selection committee for the Professional Development Fund will continue to oversee the Fund, and existing procedures will remain in effect. Funds not expended in any fiscal year will be rolled over into the next fiscal year. The union website will provide information on when new applications will be accepted. Funds will be available only for activities that occur after an application is approved.
17. Creation of 100 new Lecturer positions for experienced adjuncts
A separate letter, agreed upon at the time of the contract settlement, contains a commitment from Chancellor Goldstein to President Bowen to create 100 new full-time Lecturer positions, in addition to the 100 agreed to with the last contract, for which the pool of applicants will be restricted to experienced CUNY adjuncts. The provision is subject to Legislative funding. Up to 50 full-time Lecturer lines will be filled during the 2008-09 academic year; the balance will be filled during the 2009-10 academic year. Determination of which colleges receive the new Lecturer lines will be made by Chancellor Goldstein; allocation of the lines within each college will be determined by the college president.
The text of Chancellor Goldstein’s letter spells out the criteria for adjuncts to be able to apply for these positions. The criteria are somewhat more flexible than for the last set of conversion lines to address some of the continuity issues facing long-serving adjuncts. With the exception of eligibility, all regular departmental search procedures will apply.
18. Tuition waivers for adjuncts
Effective Fall 2008, access to tuition waivers for adjuncts wishing to enroll in a CUNY course will be expanded in the following two ways: 1) the current requirement that an adjunct teach one or more courses for ten consecutive semesters (excluding summers) in the same department will be changed to read “in the same college”; and 2) service in a Substitute title immediately preceding and followed by adjunct service will count toward establishing the required ten semesters. Substitute service during the 2007-08 academic year will be included in qualifying for this benefit.
19. Adjunct health insurance
As in paragraph 18 above, service in a Substitute title will now count towards eligibility for health insurance. Currently, it only bridges between adjunct service. Substitute service during the 2007-08 academic year will be included in qualifying for this benefit.
20. Movement in salary schedule
As in paragraphs 18 and 19 above, effective Fall 2008, Substitute service immediately preceding and followed by adjunct service will count toward establishing eligibility for movement to a higher salary step. Substitute service during the 2007-08 academic year will be included in qualifying for this benefit.
21. One-year appointments for adjuncts
Effective Fall 2008, Substitute service immediately preceding and followed by adjunct service will “bridge” adjunct service for the purpose of determining eligibility for a one-year appointment. Under these conditions, Substitute service will not constitute a break in service; rather it will serve as a “bridge” between the adjunct service immediately before and after.
22. Teaching observations
As in paragraph 21 above, Substitute service will now “bridge” adjunct service rather than break continuity for the purpose of determining when an adjunct has completed 10 semesters of required teaching observations. After 10 semesters, teaching observations are no longer required, and the adjunct may be observed at the request of either the chairperson or the adjunct.
WELFARE FUND AND HEALTH INSURANCE
23. Welfare Fund contribution increase
Effective September 20, 2008, CUNY will increase its annual per capita contribution for each eligible active employee and each eligible retired employee by $50.
24. Doctoral employee health insurance
In separate discussions concurrent with the negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement, the PSC and CUNY have made significant progress toward reaching agreement on a health insurance benefit for eligible CUNY doctoral employees. CUNY has made a commitment to providing the necessary funding – over and above the funding in the economic package negotiated for the collective bargaining agreement – and the Student Employee Health Plan of the New York State Health Insurance Plan has agreed to extend coverage to eligible CUNY doctoral employees. More information will be provided as soon as it is available. Both the PSC and CUNY are committed to establishing the earliest possible start-date for the program.
DISTINGUISHED LECTURERS AND CLINICAL PROFESSORS
25. Distinguished Lecturers
Effective September 20, 2007, the maximum length of service for Distinguished Lecturers shall be increased from five to seven years. (This position, described in Article 11.7 of the contract, is distinct from the Distinguished Professor title, described in Article 23.)
26. Clinical Professors
Effective Fall 2008, CUNY will establish a new full-time faculty title, Clinical Professor, with annual appointments for an individual holding that title of up to a maximum of seven years. The position will be a full-time faculty position; responsibilities will include teaching (including, in some cases, clinical instruction), and may include research.
27. Distinguished Lecturers and Clinical Professors
The total number of Distinguished Lecturers and Clinical Professors combined may not exceed 125 at any time University-wide.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS
Modifications to the contract for faculty and professional staff at the four Educational Opportunity Centers will be covered by a separate Memorandum of Agreement. EOC faculty and staff will vote in a separate ratification process on that proposed Memorandum.
The relevant provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement will be incorporated into the Supplemental Agreement on Continuing Education, including the across-the-board salary increases (#2 above), and, for CET faculty in the College Language Immersion Program, the use of up to three sick days annually for care of an ill family member (#10 above) and additional salary enhancements effective 3/19/10.
The Memorandum of Agreement is subject to ratification by the membership of the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY to be employed under this contract and is subject to State and City funding guidelines and to the costing analyses of The State of New York and the City of New York. The Memorandum has already received the required approval by the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York.
Ballots for a vote on ratification of this contract will be mailed to eligible PSC members on July 29, 2008, and members’ votes are due back by September 2, 2008. Members will be able to cast their vote by return mail, by phone, or by a secure website. The ratification vote will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association.
GO TO: SALARY (GENERAL) | SALARY INCREASES FOR EQUITY | SALARY INCREASES FOR TOP STEPS | RETROACTIVE PAY | SUPPORT FOR PARENTS, FAMILIES, HEALTH | EXPANSION OF OUR RIGHTS | SUPPORT FOR MENTORING, RESEARCH | ADJUNCT ENHANCEMENTS | WELFARE FUND AND HEALTH INSURANCE | DISTINGUISHED LECTURERS AND CLINICAL PROFESSORS | EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS | CONTINUING EDUCATION | APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION
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