Dear MSP Members,

I wanted to give you an update on bargaining.

First, despite having heard that the Governor was interested in delivering economic parameters far earlier than usual, we have now been told there are no current plans for when those parameters will be delivered.  This is disturbing.  Our union and the other higher education unions have written to the Governor demanding fair economic parameters by April 1.  If we do not receive them by then, we will be calling on all of you to take action.  Stay tuned.

Second, we have continued to meet every week on Amherst-only bargaining issues, in the hope of reaching agreement before returning to the main table.   We have reached agreement on several issues but the biggest ones – including sabbatical policy, phased or post-retirement employment, the 250 Plan, startup funds, and the leave without pay policy – remain unresolved.  Indeed, on a few we remain quite far apart.  We will be meeting twice in the final week of March and hope that the administration will move on these key issues.  The bargaining team feels strongly that these issues are too important to give up on; if the administration is unwilling to respond favorably, we will be forced to take all of the issues back to the main table and begin again.  I hope that is not the case.

I will report back about bargaining during that last week when I will also let you know if the Governor has answered our request for fair parameters which, at the very least, do not force anyone to take a pay cut.

Max Page, MSP President