Dear Members,

Yesterday, the FAMCO bargaining team returned to the negotiating table to hear the administration’s latest proposals for compensation increases, healthcare rates, and a commitment to address the problem of a shrinking tenure-eligible faculty. 

We wish we could report that the administration moved significantly closer to a position on each of these key issue areas that meets our members’ needs.  

Specifically, the administration’s most recent proposal on compensation has yet to meaningfully address our members’ need for real earnings increases that are not washed out by inflation or healthcare cost overcharging.  At present, the administration is proposing salary increases that would, at best, leave over two-thirds of our members with a 3% or lower increase in the first year of the new contract, and nearly half of our members with a 3% or lower increase in the second and third year.   

In effect, the administration is still proposing salary increases that fail to amount to even a current cost of living adjustment, let alone address the recent years of our real earnings losses.

When considering the administration’s projected, and questionable, 9%-12% increases to healthcare costs over the life of the contract, many of our members would find themselves, yet again, in the jaws of a pay cut. 

The bargaining team was also disappointed that the administration came to the table yesterday without a response to FAMCO’s proposal to support our clinical faculty.

The administration also came unprepared to counter to our revised comprehensive proposal to find a path forward toward rebuilding a healthy tenure rank mix at Monmouth that stems the tide of contingency.

On a positive note, as of today, over 80% of our members have now signed on to our open letter of support for the bargaining team in their work to secure a fair contract!  If you haven’t had a chance to add your name, now is the time (you can find the letter here: https://forms.gle/cKQCbpCK2ChpYrbX8).

Finally, this week the FAMCO bargaining team was also gratified to see our colleagues turn out once again to serve as observers (see photo above).  We encourage our members to reach out to those who have served in this important capacity and get their feedback on their experiences.

To learn how you, too, can get involved to do your part to win a fair contract for you and your colleagues, please reach out to FAMCO Field Organizer, Sanjana Ragudaran at sanjanamaniam@gmail.com, or visit us at http://www.mufamco.org.

Sincerely, 

The FAMCO Bargaining Team
John Comiskey
Megan Delaney
Gabrielle Hackenberg
Rose Knapp
Sue Stark
Marina Vujnovic