At a meeting on February 25, 2009, the MSP Executive Board [1] recommended the contract for a ratification vote.   A summary [2] of the contract settlement has been sent in a previous email and is available on the MSP web site.

 

In these challenging times, this contract has many big wins including a flexible sabbatical policy, a new phased retirement policy and improvements to family benefits.  

 

The vote will occur in the MSP office on Friday, March 6, 2009 starting at 9:00 a.m. and running until 3:30 p.m.  There will be a public counting of the ballots at 4:00 p.m. at the Marriott Center (11th Floor, Campus Center) immediately followed by a celebration of our contract wins.  

 

Please stop by the MSP office (121 Hampshire House [3]) and cast your vote and then join us later that same day at the Marriott Center for a drink and some light hors d'oeuvres on us!  

 

Randy Phillis

MSP President

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MSP/FSU/MTA/NEA NOTICE OF CONTRACT RATIFICATION

The ratification vote of the proposed collective bargaining agreement between the Massachusetts Society of Professors/Faculty Staff Union/MTA/NEA and the Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts will be held on:

  Friday, March 6, 2009

  9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

  121 Hampshire House

The ballots will be publicly counted on March 6, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. at the Marriot Center located on the 11th floor of the University Campus Center.  All bargaining unit members are invited to attend.

The proposed agreement contains an agency fee provision.  If the agreement is ratified by a majority of the valid votes cast, the agency fee provision will require each bargaining unit member who elects not to join or maintain membership in the union to pay to the union an agency service fee on an annual basis as a condition of employment.  The amount of the agency fee for 2008-2009 is MTA $293.10; NEA $77.42; MSP/FSU $176.19. 

The union’s most recent financial report, in the form of a balance sheet and operating statements listing all receipts and disbursements of the previous financial year, is available for inspection during regular business hours at the MSP office. 

All employees in the bargaining unit who are covered by the proposed agreement are eligible to vote, regardless of their membership or non-membership in the union.