Goddard College faculty and staff have approved a new, three-year union contract ending a 27-month negotiation period, the college announced Tuesday.
“This is a contract that management and labor worked very hard to craft together,” Goddard President Robert Kenny said in a statement. “The process involved a significant commitment from all parties to reach agreement, which is premised on what the College, its faculty and staff need to create a positive working environment and sustainable College,” he said.
The United Auto Workers, Local 2322, represents about 90 Goddard College faculty members and 45 college staff members.
The Goddard faculty voted to form a union in November 1998, with the support of the institution’s board of trustees, the college’s news release said.
The new contracts preserve the current health and dental benefits with no increases in premium sharing; increases the minimum wage at Goddard College from $9.15 to $11 per hour, with subsequent increase to $12 per hour beginning in July 2016; and eliminates the need for faculty and unionized staff pay cuts, the statement said.
Non-unionized college administrators who had taken 5 percent to 10 percent salary reductions in 2013 will have their salaries restored to pre-reduction levels, the announcement said, and Goddard will suspend its retirement match plan for 18 months but will revisit compensation possibilities after that.
Additionally, Goddard’s grant-funded and seasonal workers gained some job protections and were made eligible for compensated sick time, according to the announcement.
Manuel O’Neill, co-chair and chief steward of United Auto Workers staff bargaining union, Local 2322, said Wednesday that the vote was unanimous in favor of supporting or accepting the contract as negotiated.
“The decision by Goddard faculty and staff to unionize permits Goddard College to play a contributing leadership role in advancing the theory and practice of democracy in the classroom, workplace, and society,” O’Neill said in an email statement.
“While members of the Staff bargaining unit made a significant economic concession by agreeing to an 18-month suspension of the employer contribution to their TIAA-CREF retirement accounts, the economic concession was partially offset by significant gains in union recognition, and worker rights specifically in the areas of employee severance protection, recognition of seniority rights related to layoff and recall, job promotion, and advancement, as well as a strong grievance procedure and stewards system,” O’Neill’s statement said.
The Goddard staff voted to join the union in January 2013 as the institution saw declines in enrollment and faced the specter of staff salary reductions and other austerity measures to reconcile projected budget deficits, according to the statement.
More information on the agreement can be seen at: www.goddard.edu/union.
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