Nuts & Bolts: Core Bargaining Team Updates, grant cancellations, retiring faculty longevity bonus, period of non-responsibility, know your contract: Weingarten rights, MTA Union News, MTA summer conference, and MTA Benefits

5/19/2025

Dear Faculty and Librarians,

This is the last Nuts & Bolts of the academic year.  This does not mean the FSU takes a break, we work twelve months on your behalf.  Emails to fsu@umb.edu are answered and we do work to resolve any faculty issue(s).  There may be a delay in replies as Lorenzo does take a well-earned vacation, and I also take some time away.

Core Bargaining Team Emails

Be on the lookout for Core Bargaining Team (CBT) emails. Bargaining updates, our new contract details and contract ratification information will come from the CBT email.  An agreed upon contact between the FSU and UMB administration is not finalized until the members ratify the contract.  Ratification is needed to receive raises.

Grant Funding: What is the status of your grant?

Watch for an email (Monday, May 19th) asking those who have grants to tell us the status of your grant funding.  Has it been cancelled?  What is the dollar amount impacted?   Having this information helps us and MTA as we all work to secure state funding to provide resources.

Retiring Faculty

Congratulations to those who are retiring at the end of the academic year. Thank you for your years of service to our students and to the university community.

Before you leave us, please consider donating any unused sick time to the sick leave bank and obtain your longevity bonus.

Article 27.3.3.g.1 (page 92) Bargaining-unit members may also choose to donate additional days of personal sick leave to the bank at any time by completing a form for this purpose, which shall be made available in the campus personnel office.

Article 27.8: Longevity Bonus Payment: At the time of retirement, bargaining-unit members shall be entitled to a longevity bonus payment in the amount of l.5 days’ pay for each year of service, including all paid leaves.

Period of non-responsibility

Most faculty are on academic-year appointments. The nine-month appointment states the faculty member works a fixed period which is nine months. The remaining three months (June, July and August) are the period of non-responsibility. 

Know Your Contract: Right to Have a Witness in Meetings with Your Supervisor: 

You have the right to have a union witness present for any meeting with your supervisor that is of an investigatory nature or may have disciplinary repercussions (see the MTA primer on Weingarten Rights).

MTA Union News: Updates on Legislative Agenda Activities

MTA government relations staff are focused on our legislative agenda.  Items of importance to higher education include debt-free public higher education (free tuition and fees),fair wages to employees of public institutions of higher education (to be at or above the national average) and provide green and healthy public colleges and universities and address their deferred maintenance needs (will help UMB).   Watch for details in your MTA Union News.

MTA 2025 Summer Conference, July 27th to 30th at UMass Amherst

Join fellow union members from K to 12 and higher ed at the MTA Summer Conference.  Tuesday, July 29th is Higher Ed Day.  Click here for a list of workshops.

MTA Benefits: Recreation Discounts

Interested in getting outside?  MTA benefits include discounts on  boating, fishing, a brews cruise and visiting Zoo New England. 

Point of personal privilege:  I want to thank Vice President Sana Haroon for all her work the past two years on behalf of all faculty and librarians.  Sana’s term ends this month.  It was a pleasure to work with her and call her a friend.

Sincerely,

Caroline Coscia                                 

FSU President                                   

Senior Lecturer II                               

Political Science Department