Today I have been trying to find a McHenry County College Trustee who has been shown the faculty contract announced last night.
No luck so far.
I’m thinking the headline of my story was incorrect, at least the part about the Board having settled the contract. (The headline was “MCC Board Settles on Faculty Contract Language, But Keeps It Secret.”)
It seems the Board, at least all of its members were not involved in the final contract language.
Whoever settled on the contract language, it was not the Board members, at least all of them.
Since we don’t know how much salaries are proposed to be increased, let’s take a look at what happened to university salaries last year.
Coincidentally, the Chicago Sun-Times published an article on the subject today:
Profs’ salary increases lag
The story says the average increase for the nation was 2.2% for the 2013-2014 calendar year.
I continue to believe that taxpayers should be able to see the contract language long enough before the MCC Board meeting so that they may contact their elected representatives concerning the content of the proposed contract.
Remove collective bargaining from all public sectors!
Until that is accomplished, we will continue down the path of public financial ruin!!
Cal – I am sure the faculty did not get a chance to see the actual language of the contract as well.
The only people who know the actual language are those at the table negotiating the deal.
The Board of Trustees and MCC faculty had input, but not during the actual writing of the contract.
The Board’s team would meet, during closed session to discuss issues with the Board.
The Boards team would then go into negotiations with the reps from the MCC faculty.
The Boards team would represent the wishes of the Board of Trustees.
So when you ask all of the Board of Trustees, “Have you seen the contract language?”
The answer should be “No.”
Since the Board is represented at the negotiating table.
If you ask the MCC faculty if they have seen the contract. \
You will get the exact same answer.
However, now that it appears a contract is TA.
They, both MCC faculty and Board of Trustees should be receiving copies very soon for review before approval.
FYI – My comment is based on experience as a former school board member.
The press release says, “The agreement is awaiting ratification; no details of the terms of the contract will be released pending the ratification and approval by the full MCCFA membership and the MCC Board of Trustees.”
As a taxpayer, I would like to be able to provide input as to whether the settlement is reasonable.