FFECC Dues increase rationale, instructions and ballot for vote 2/10 - 2/17/23
Rationale For Increase in FFECC Dues
The FFECC Executive Leadership has been a good steward of our membership’s dues, providing efforts that helped to protect jobs during the pandemic, defend our academic freedom in recent attacks and handle various arbitration cases. (Arbitration cases can range from $8,000-$20,000, for which FFECC is responsible for 50%).
While there have been dues increases at the State and National level, we have not increased our local dues since at least 2004. The pandemic allowed us a bit of a reprieve from running at a deficit due to the elimination of in-person events, and conferences. We are one of the few community college unions that have not increased dues; others are double or more what we collect.
Since that time we have used a range of measures to delay the need for increased dues: reducing Sara Riggie’s hours as our FFECC office manager, eliminating retirement parties, reducing in-person functions, cutting the number of participants at conferences and political action in Albany; these are expenses funded from the local share of union dues, which currently sit at $100 per year.
During the pandemic we were the only community college union to not experience layoffs that other bargaining units at the college suffered, due to our contractual language. The strength of our bargaining unit has been evident in other areas as well.
We are now working at a deficit. We have lost membership to two incentives, and layoffs of much of our adjunct workforce, and non-teaching professionals.
After weeks of lengthy discussions regarding this issue, a Motion was approved on Wednesday, February 8th at an emergency General Membership meeting, to put forward to the entire membership a proposal to raise dues by $5.00 per paycheck. Dues will only be charged during the 20 pay periods of the academic year. Part-time FFECC members currently pay no more than 50% of total dues, and that will remain the same.
This increase will allow us to continue to protect our constituents, defend academic freedom, and ensure faculty has a say in major decisions at SUNY Erie.
It is constitutionally required that the membership vote on issues of dues, therefore we are bringing this to a vote of the general membership.
Ballots were emailed to all members
