A number of technical college collective bargaining agreements have recently been settled. Here are some of the details:

Fox Valley Technical College Faculty
For the first time in 15 years, the FVTC faculty’s successor contract was ratified prior to the expiration of the existing collective bargaining agreement.

The new three-year agreement provides salary increases of 3.5% beginning July 1, 2008, and 3.25% increases in both 2009-10 and 2010-11. An additional $960 is added to each cell in 2008-09 to offset an additional premium share.

Effective July 1, 2008, employees will pay an additional premium share of $80/month for family ($960 per year) and $32/month for single. However, as noted above, the premium share is offset by the additional $960 added to the salary schedule. The agreement maintains the existing $7 retail copay for generic drugs, but reduces the mail order copay for generics to $0.  In addition, the new agreement only required one copay for a ninety day mail order supply of prescription drugs.  The previous contract required two copays.

The faculty’s 190-day calendar was maintained, but total student-contact days will be reduced from 168 to 160. Under the new agreement, the eight student contact-days will be used a flexible days used for college-wide activities.

Fox Valley Technical College Support Staff
The three-year FVTC support staff agreement includes wage increases of 4.00%, 3.85% and 3.75% in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively. A joint committee will study the compensation and labor grade salary structure.

The support staff benefit changes are consistent with those described above, including the $960 added to the schedule in 2008-09 to offset premium increases.

The support staff agreement also includes a number of language changes. For example, new agreement specifies that all disciplinary measures, including oral reprimands, need to be in a written format.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Faculty
The faculty bargaining unit at NWTC agreed to a contract covering the period from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Faculty bargained a 4.50% salary increase in each year of the three-year agreement.

NWTC faculty agreed to several changes in their health insurance plan. The employee contribution will increase from 8% to 10% under the new agreement. Plan deductibles increase from $100 (single) and $300 (family) to $250 and $500 respectively. A $50 emergency room copay, which is waived if the patient is admitted, was also applied to the plan. The new plan adds a wellness benefit, which pays annual routine office visits from in network providers at 100% and eliminates the existing copayment.

Under the new agreement, NWTC faculty will have the option to add employee-paid long-term care insurance.

Western Technical College Faculty
Western Technical College faculty bargained a two-year agreement expiring June 30, 2009. The contract provides for 3% salary increases in both 2007-08 and 2008-09. A PhD lane is added to the salary schedule in 2008-09.

The unit bargained a change to the faculty workload system. Western’s workload system awards additional instructional units if faculty teach a certain aggregate number of students. For example, the previous contract awarded two additional instructional units if faculty taught more than 120 students. The new contract lowers the thresholds needed to earn extra units and adds additional tiers to the system. Now, additional units are awarded after the 60th, 110th, 150th and 170th student.

The agreement provides for educational salary adjustments for non-teaching professionals not required to be certified. A study committee is also established to examine the workload of non-teaching professionals.

Posted June 12, 2008