News from Our Nation’s Capital......
The U.S. Senate is about to consider legislation passed earlier this month in the U.S. House known as the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA). This is important legislation as it greatly improves student aid and access, supports programs to improve student persistence and attainment, and provides direct aid to community colleges. At the same time, AFT believes that federal policy must recognize the central role of faculty in helping students and institutions achieve those goals.
However, if we are going to get Congress to use federal policy to direct attention to the state of our higher education instructional workforce, we are going to need your help.
Visit the AFT Legislative Action Center (http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/HE092509) and send a letter to your Senators urging them to support the inclusion of language in this bill that "would permit program money to be used to create additional full-time faculty positions or to provide more stability and equitable compensation for contingent faculty."
And then tell all of your colleagues to do the same. It takes just a few minutes of your day, but will help send a powerful message.
News from our State Capital....
It appears that the $500.00 salary bonus is dead due to our state’s economic situation. It is important to note that the Governor’s bill did not include sufficient funding to provide the bonus for all classified staff and faculty. While the House of Delegates passed an amended bill to add sufficient funds, the State Senate did not concur. AFT-WV was the only organization to insist that all classified staff and faculty receive the salary bonus. Rest assured, however, AFT-WV will continue to lobby legislators during the 2010 session to issues of concern to classified staff and faculty including AEI, funding inequities and salaries. We will also continue to monitor discussions taking place regarding the higher education personnel study. We believe our position paper and concerns we raised during the last legislative were, in part, responsible for the delay in consideration of the study.
News from PEIA……
Fresh off their vote to take away the retiree subsidy for those hired after July 1, 2010, PEIA voted to send out for comment a preliminary finance (effective July 1, 2010) plan that calls for:
• A 4% increase in premiums for both employees and employers;
• An increase in deductibles (either $25.00 or $50.00 for active employees, $25.00 for retirees);
• A change in the prescription drug formulary (some brand name drugs in the top tier will be removed);
• An increase in the maximum out-of-pocket costs for family plans – the amount will be equal to double the rate for a single plan. Your out-of-pocket maximum depends on your employment status, salary, where you receive your services, whether your provider is in network and whether you have prior approval.
• The creation of a new WV plan (this will be optional) that will limit employees to receiving care in West Virginia. If there is a need for specialty care, plan participants will have access to limited care and services at the Cleveland Clinic and Duke University.
These are only proposals and they will be the subject of the public hearings. Just as soon as we learn the dates of the hearings we will communicate the dates as well as talking points to you.
Did you know……?
• That AFT-WV has two representatives on the HEPC?
--Bob Brown, Executive Director of the AFT-WV affiliate, the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association (WVSSPA) is a member by virtue of his position as chair of the WV Community and Technical College Council.
--John Estep, a staff representative for AFT-WV is a voting member as well as its secretary.
• That AFT-WV higher education membership continues to grow? With members on each campus and a newly merged organization at WVU, ACE-AFT, AFT-WV now represents the largest number of higher education staff and faculty in West Virginia.
• That AFT-WV continues to win grievances for classified staff and faculty? Issues we have dealt with include compensation, overtime, and denial of tenure to name a few. Have a problem? We can help.
Did you know……?
When you join AFT-WV you receive many benefits including:
• $1 million in professional liability insurance;
• $25,000 accidental death & dismemberment insurance;
• $12,000 term life insurance at no cost for one year;
• Low rates on auto, home and renters insurance.
