Nuts & Bolts: Raises, Elections, Bargaining Survey, Social Security work and parents’ group
12/11/2023
Dear Members,
July 1, 2023, Pay Raise
We are happy to say our December 22, 2023, paycheck will include your July 1, 2023, 4% raise plus the retroactive pay from July 1st. To receive the July 1st, raise, you needed to have been on payroll on June 30, 2023. The ranks for Lecturer and above are eligible for the pay raise.
FSU Annual Elections, Spring 2024
The Elections Committee will be sending information including a timeline. Watch for an email for the Elections Committee email.
Core Bargaining Team: Member Survey
Please be sure to complete the member survey from your Core Bargaining Team. The information assists the team in proposal making.
Reminder: December 14th FSU End of Semester Gathering
Please join the FSU on Thursday, December 14th to mingle, relax and meet colleagues. Contact FSU for location information.
Reminder: NTT Promotion Material Submittal
Non Tenure Track members who informed their chairs in May of your intent to file for promotion, please remember that the deadline to submit your promotion materials is Friday, January 26, 2024.
For those applying for Senior Lecturer I and II, Article 21.12.4 contains information on what to submit.
For those applying for Senior Lecturer III, see the memorandum of agreement for details.
Have you worked under social security? Have a state pension?
The NEA is taking the lead to assist those who have worked under both social security and a public pension. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), enacted by President Reagan, limits the amount of social security you may collect if you also receive a public pension. Many did not realize this until retirement and saw a lower than expected (and earned) social security monthly payment. You are penalized if your career includes both public and private sector work. The NEA estimates there are 2 million educators impacted.
For the first time in years, federal legislation (HR82 and S597) to correct this injustice is gaining sponsors. At last count there are 300 members of the House of Representatives supporting the bill. Only 218 votes are needed for passage.
We know some of our members are in this situation. If you are, please contact your members of Congress to tell them to support the legislation.
An NEA representative is willing to speak to FSU members. Watch for details next semester.
“It takes a village to raise a child,” as the proverb goes, but many parents nowadays have yet to find that village. Toward that end, a group of FSU members are starting an inter-union parents’ group for mutual support, resource sharing, socializing, and advocacy. We welcome input and participation from members of FSU, PSU, CSU, and GEO. If you’re interested, please contact Linda.Liu@umb.edu.
This is the last Nuts & Bolts for the semester.
Next week, I will turn this space over to the Grievance Committee to provide an update on activities.
On behalf of the FSU Executive Committee, Vice President Sana Haroon, Senior Staff Member Lorenzo Nencioli, we wish you a happy holiday season, and a restful and enjoyable period of non-responsibility.
Sincerely,
Caroline Coscia
FSU President
Senior Lecturer II
Political Science Department