December 7th, 2005
To: All College Faculty
Re: Salary Package Tentative Agreement
Sent via email and US mail
Based on the fact that we do not receive the final resource allocation figures from the State until September or October of each year, this package includes moving the start date of future pay raises to January 1 rather than June 1 so we can avoid the need for yearly retroactive adjustments. We are accommodating this change with an off-schedule payment for the period 7/1/05 12/31/05. This will apply to all faculty on all salary schedules.
We have successfully removed all of the career increments (the five year wait periods) from the contract faculty salary schedule A. In order to accomplish this, some faculty will only receive their regular step movement this year, in addition to the off-schedule payment. The majority, but not all, of contract faculty will receive a pay increase in the neighborhood of 5%. Additionally, with the removal of the career increment steps, all faculty will now move one step per year until they reach the bottom of the salary schedule. (see detailed explanation of the new Schedule A below)
All adjunct/overload salary schedules (Schedules B & C) will receive a 5% increase effective January 1, 2006. Additionally, we will be continuing to fully fund the family premium costs for qualifying adjunct faculty members participating in the Kaiser, Delta Dental, and VSP benefit plans.
Here is a summary of the salary package:
… 4.029% one-time off-schedule of 7/1/05 12/31/05 earnings. Paid on March 31/April 10 pay warrants.
Effective January 1, 2006:
… Restructured Schedule A with removal of career increments, 2.75% between steps A-R, 1.07% step S, 1.00% between steps T Z. (see detailed explanation below)
… 5.0% Increase on all steps of Schedules B/C.
… Continuation of Adjunct Faculty family medical, dental, vision plan.
The movement of contract faculty from the current Schedule A to the new Schedule A is a bit tricky. (If you are currently on steps A-O, you won¹t be changing step so you can skip this. Although see note below.)
If you¹re currently on steps P through S, follow this three step process.
1) Look at your most recent paystub and find your class and step that matches your current gross earnings amount on the current Schedule A (attached). Example: Class 6, Step P, $7548.
2) Keeping that dollar amount and class/step in mind, look at the next attachment entitled ³Movement/Placement² and find the step of the same class that most closely matches your current dollar amount without any decrease. Example: Class 6, Step R, $7569.
3) Now go to the third attachment (the new Schedule A effective January 1, 2006) and go to the class and step you were at in step 2) above. That is your new salary amount effective January 1, 2006. Example: Class 6, Step R, $7969.
If you are currently on steps AO, and didn¹t benefit from this above movement, you need to keep in mind that your future earnings will be greatly enhanced because you will no longer have to wait 11, 16, 21, and 26 years to advance into the last four steps of the salary schedule.
I truly appreciate all of your support and patience as we worked out the complex details needed to arrive at this settlement. Future settlements should be much speedier now that we have restructured the salary schedule. As always, please don¹t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Wishing you all a happy holiday season!
In Unity,
Jim Mahler, President
AFT Guild, Local 1931