.
CUNY
ALLIANCE CAN'T COUNT
From the New Caucus
In their first e-missive of the campaign, CA claims,
“Our negotiated raises failed to keep up with cost of living
increases.” First, they intimate this is for the last nine years
and then they say it is “since 2002.” Their language is
deliberately imprecise.
In fact,
across-the-board salary increases have kept pace with inflation, and
by next October, they will exceed the rate of inflation (see below).
If annual step increases were to be included in the calculation,
increases would be even higher, and New Caucus leadership preserved
salary steps against intense management pressure to eliminate them.
We negotiated these increases through the 9/11 recession and the
current economic crisis. Of course, these increases are in addition
to other major economic advances; e.g. 80% paid sabbatical, 24 hours
reassigned time for untenured faculty, paid parental leave,
additional funds for professional development, and pension reform
which adds 3% take home pay after 10 years of service.
CA IS ALSO WRONG ABOUT THE WELFARE
FUND
CA’s wild claims about New Caucus leaders’ management
of the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund are equally ridiculous. When we
assumed leadership, the Welfare Fund had a history of annual
operating deficits and was headed for bankruptcy. This occurred
while Rina Yarmish (CA candidate for Treasurer) was the Welfare Fund
Treasurer. We took the tough decisions needed to bring the Welfare
Fund back to financial health. Today, the Welfare Fund Reserve is
over $35 million. (Click
here
to view the financial statements of the Welfare Fund).
CA does not seem to understand that Welfare Fund benefits have
always been funded out of our negotiated settlements with CUNY and
settlements reached between the City unions and the City of New
York. Since its beginning, the Welfare Fund has received funds from
both sources. Complaints by CA that a fraction of the economic
settlement in a prior contract went to the Fund demonstrates their
naiveté and, worse, their readiness to bankrupt the Fund.
New Caucus leaders have a record of real accomplishment, established
in turbulent times. How can you trust people with your future if
they can’t even count?
Here is the truth about
wage increases that anybody can check out. Below are sample
salaries as reported in our contracts for selected titles, starting
with the salary on July 31, 2000, the day before the first contract
negotiated by New Caucus leadership. Others show similar increases.
| |
Salary in
July 2000 |
Salary in
Jan 2009 |
% Increase |
Salary in
Oct. 2009 |
% Increase |
Prof/HEO
(Top Step) |
$86.619 |
$109,674 |
26.62% |
$116,364 |
34.34% |
Lecturer
(Middle Step) |
$42,569 |
$55,350 |
30.02% |
$58,011
(3/10) |
36.28% |
CLT
(Bottom Step) |
$25,346 |
$35,723 |
40.94% |
$36,795 |
45.17% |
Asst to HEO
(Middle Step) |
$39,710 |
$51,690 |
30.17% |
$53,241 |
34.07% |
Adj Lect
(Top Step)
(6 Credits) |
$5,308 |
$7,791 |
46.77% |
$8,473 |
59.63% |
The Bureau of Labor
Statistics “All Urban Consumers” CPI for New York increased 27.47%
from August 2000 to January 2009. Assuming a liberal 2% annual CPI
increase by October 2009, inflation for the period August 2000 to
October 2009 will be 29.38%.
For more titles
and wage increases since July 2000, click
here
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