Some of the Things FFECC Leadership has been doing since our Last Contract Settlement
Your local is working on a new structure of dues for adjuncts that will be simpler and more equitable.
FFECC has representation on the LMHF Board as well as a Trustee. When the College's health care usage exceeded its quota we had a voice in the solution, which has resulted in two consecutive years of no health insurance rate increases for all of us.
Local, State, and National affiliations (NYSUT, NEA, AFT) give us a voice in lobbing for good higher education policy and better community college funding.
We have a voice in national union policy via Andy Sako's involvement with state and national affiliated union organizations as an elected representative to NYSUT, NEA and AFT Boards and on their committees, which make decisions directly impacting our work lives.
Our Political Action Committee has been extremely effective in providing a forum to tell our story and that of our students to local and state officials for appropriate funding. We always endorse pro-education elected officials. These actives are not funded through union dues, but through voluntary Vote COPE member contributions!
Labor Management meetings are a requirement of our contract, which we utilize to resolve immediate issues and for your union to discuss long standing issues of concern to our members and to work towards collaborative solutions.
Our political action activities got an additional 1/4 million in yearly funding for ECC above and beyond the 1/4 million the County proposed to give our college in additional aid.
We continue to offer expert, well-trained representation our members in disciplinary and investigative actions by the college (some recent meetings are related to complaints of exaggerated severity.) We have participated in eight of them this summer so far and several others are in the works.
Your union officers work all summer long without compensation.
We have written and signed twenty-one Memos of Understanding (contract addenda), with six more in the works, since our last contract settlement in Oct. 2016 to solve problems for the College that should have been solved in our last contract negotiations, except that solving real problems was not the priority of the College's negotiations team at the time.
We have a verbal commitment from the college to engage in negotiations (either a contract re-opener or contract extension or both), and we hope a written one is coming very soon. These negotiations should include salaries and particularly adjunct and other part time employee salaries and benefits. These topics could include greater job security and an additional rank for adjuncts.
We are one of the few locals state-wide that is actively advocating, through our representation (Andy Sako) on the NYSUT Board and committees, to eliminate the double-paying of NYSUT dues by those who are members of multiple NYSUT locals.
FFECC members have been involved with a large number of community groups and activities (Walk for the Heart, Paws in the Park, Walk for the Cure, Corporate Challenge, Labor Day Parade, and others.)
We take students to with us to Albany lobbying for more appropriate Community College funding. This also gives them an opportunity for knowledge of and involvement in the political process.
Our affiliation with NYSUT provides members with great deals on auto purchases (multi-thousands off West-Herr), insurance, credit cards, legal and financial plans, etc.
We do a lot of member consultations, counseling and guiding them in the right direction to get their problems solved even when their issues are sometimes not strictly contractual.
We encourage member participation in and engagement with their union and their college at large, and we offer training and professional development to them in labor union matters, pedagogy, and their disciplines.
We have many doors open to us as faculty/professional staff, both internally and externally. We advocate for our members at large - all our members - not any particular class or group or individual.
We advocate for our students. We advocate for our profession.
Important SUNY Erie institutional initiatives that have been instituted, planned and implemented by FFECC members (many by FFECC officers):
Affordable Instructional Materials s (OERs, low cost courses)
Academic Roadmaps (guided pathways)
OSCQR badging of online courses
Assessment mentors for Middle States assessment activities
College Senate
10 - week semesters and other future alternative models
the Advisement Center project
Important programs that will increase our enrollment:
Partnership with BTF - Buffalo Schools to provide certificate for Teachers' Aids
initiative to provide educational services to employees of Blue Cross/Blue Shield (potential for large expansion)
Support of the improvement and expansion of Advanced Studies
All in all, your union and your elected union representatives work constantly for you, our institution, our profession, and our students.
