Full Time/Part Time Unit
Reaches Tentative Agreement
July 23, 2007
After months of negotiations, including many long and contentious bargaining sessions, the Council's full time/part time unit negotiations team reached a tentative Agreement with the State for the period July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2011. Upon ratification, this Agreement will provide the same salary increases and health benefits to which the other public sector unions have already agreed. Ratification ballots must be received at the post office by September 25, 2007 in order to be counted.
To view Frequently Asked Questions regarding this Agreement click here: FAQs
Salary:
The across-the-board increases will be 3%, 3%, 3.5%, & 3.5% for each year of the new Agreement, beginning July 1, 2007 for 12 month employees and September 1, 2007 for 10 month employees.
Click here to see sample salaries PDF file with these increases. Click here to see draft annual salary chart with these increases.10 month employee new Biweekly salaries
12 month employee new Biweekly salaries
Summer Session/Overload – combined and increased $100 in year one and $50 in each of the following three years. Summer session & overload will be the same rates. New rate for summer session 2007 take effect July 1, 2007 subject to ratification.
Rank
2007
2008
2009
2010
Professor, Associate Professor,
Assistant Director in the Library (Professor in the Library)
Librarian I (Associate Professor in the Library)$1150
$1200
$1250
$1300
Assistant Professor, Instructor
Librarian II (Assistant Professor in the Library) Librarian III (Instructor in the Library)$1100
$1150
$1200
$1250
Professional Staff
$1100
$1150
$1200
$1250
Health and Retirement Benefits
In line with the other NJ public sector employees, AFT members will contribute 1.5% of their annual base salary for their state health benefits. Upon ratification of the tentative Agreement, the 1.5% health benefit deduction will apply retroactively to July 1, 2007, as will the negotiated salary increases. The State claims that the institutions will issue credit for individuals who have paid the traditional plan premium since July 1.
Effective July 1, 2007, in-network doctor visit co-pays, including specialist co-pays, will increase from $10 to $15. There will be a co-pay of $15 for the first in-network prenatal visit; subsequent in-network prenatal visits are 100% covered. The emergency room co-pay will increase from $25 to $50, which is waived if admitted.
Effective 7/1/07 prescription drugs co-pays will be as follows:
Non-Mail Order
Generics $3
Brand names where there is no generic equivalent and brand names where the employee's doctor certifies that the employee is medically unable to take the generic version of the medication -- $10. Brand names where there is a generic equivalent, unless the employee meets the standard set forth above -- $25
90 days Mail Order
Generics $5
Brand names where there is no generic and brand names where the employee's doctor certifies that the employee is medically unable to take the generic version of the medication — $15. Brand names where there is a generic equivalent, unless the employee meets the standard set forth above — $40
Click here for more information on health benefits.
Retirement - Members who have accrued 25 years of service after July 1, 2007 and who retire on or after July 1, 2007 who are in PERS, will contribute 1.5% of their annual pension benefit for their State health benefits. Members in the Alternate Benefit Program (ABP) e.g TIAA-CREF, who have accrued 25 years of service after July 1, 2007 and who retire on or after July 1, 2007, will pay 1.5% of fifty percent of their highest annual salary for their State health benefits. In both instances, the State has agreed to waive the 1.5% contribution if the retiree participates in a Retiree Wellness Program, which it plans to implement in 2008. For those who have earned their 25 years prior to July 1, 2007, all other aspects of retirement remain the same as in our current agreement (except for elimination of Traditional Plan).
Sabbatical leaves (Article XXVII)
Eligible faculty will be able to apply for half-year leaves at full salary and full-year leaves at three-quarters salary. The number of half-year sabbatical leaves will increase from 160 to 180 for the first two years and then increase to190 in the last two years of the Agreement.
Tuition Waiver for Children, Spouses and Partners in a Civil Union (New Letter of Agreement)
This new Letter of Agreement applies to those institutions that do not already have a local tuition waiver program. Under the terms of this provision, full time employees who have five or more years of employment at their College/University will be eligible for forty (40%) percent tuition waiver for their children, spouses and civil union partners. Those institutions that already have more generous tuition waiver programs will not be affected and locals are free to negotiate higher percentages in the future.
Transition to Retirement (New Letter of Agreement)
This will be a statewide program beginning in academic year 2008-2009 which allows full time tenured faculty who are least 55 years old with a minimum of ten years service at the College/University to apply for a one year transition to retirement, which may allow the faculty member to teach a maximum of 50% of a full-time faculty load at proportional pay. This Letter of Agreement does not supersede more generous existing local agreements.
X-Range Program Expanded in Faculty Ranks – (Article XXI L.1 and 4)
This new language allows the College/University to hire Assistant Professor and Associate Professor into an X range, i.e. off the existing scale. Previously X-ranges applied only to the Full Professor rank.
X-Range faculty must be appointed through the established appointment procedures and cannot exceed 5% of the full time faculty. Current faculty may also be appointed to X-ranges.
A faculty member in the X range who is promoted shall receive at least a 5% salary increase.
Salary Increases in Response to Bona Fide Offer of Outside Employment (Article XXII L.3)
Professional Staff and Librarians are also now eligible for a salary increases to any step in their range at the discretion of the College/University in response to bona fide offer of outside employment. This provision previously applied only to faculty.
Alternative Schedule for Faculty Workload (New Side Letter)
An institution that wants to schedule the annual twenty-four teaching credit hour load over a thirty-two week period other than the period between September and June cannot do so unilaterally. It must first negotiate a local procedure with the local union. Faculty participation in this alternative schedule is strictly voluntary.
Department Chairpersons (Article XVIII)
The colleges/universities will now be required to provide the chairperson, department faculty and the local union with a copy of the description of the duties and responsibilities of the chairperson. In cases where a President rejects an elected individual, the President or his/her designee must provide his/her reasons to the department within 30 days after the election.
Flex-Time for Professional Staff (Article XVI B.3)
With the approval of the appropriate vice-president or designee, professional staff may work a flexible schedule, i.e., work their standard length work day in non-conventional hours.
Performance-Based Promotions for Professional Staff (Article XVI D.)
Institutions that do not already have a locally negotiated procedure governing performance-based promotions for professional staff must negotiate them upon request of the local union.
If a professional staff member is denied a promotion, he/she may request the President to provide written reasons based on the criteria for the negative decision.
Range Adjustments for Instructors (Article XXII L.1)
Instructors (10 month) are now eligible for range adjustments from Range 18 to Ranges 20 and 21. Instructors (12 month) are now eligible for range adjustments from Range 21 to Ranges 22 and 23. Previously the Range Adjustment Program was limited to professors.
Range Adjustments for Librarians (Article XXII L.1 and 4)
Previously the Range Adjustment Program was limited to faculty. Librarians are now eligible for range adjustments as follows:
Assistant Director in the Library Librarian I Librarian II Librarian III Donated Leave Program for Librarians and Professional Staff (Article XXIV)
All Colleges/Universities not having one must negotiate donated leave programs for librarians and professional staff. This does not apply to Colleges/Universities that already have such programs.
Finally, we gained minor changes in Article VII – Grievance Procedure.
Non-Limited (NL) Employees – Comp Time (New Letter of Agreement)
The State was vehemently opposed to negotiating any statewide contract language on non-limited professional staff employees or (NL), which is the way the State designates our professional staff who may occasionally work in excess of 35 hours per week. This Letter of Agreement provides that the institutions without existing NL Agreements will collect data on professional staff working hours, which will then be analyzed by a fact-finding committee comprised of an equal number of union and management representatives. (Participation by professional staff is voluntary at these institutions.) The committee will be empowered to make recommendations to local Presidents. This Agreement does not supersede any existing NL Agreements. This Letter of Agreement does not apply to professional staff at Thomas Edison State College; however, the State recognizes in this agreement that Thomas Edison’s professional staff have the right to seek reclassification under the provisions of the Agreement.Pension - employees participating in PERS and TPAF shall increase their pension contribution from 5% to 5.5%. The retirement age for employees hired on or after July 1, 2007 shall be age 60.
To view Frequently Asked Questions regarding this Agreement click here: FAQs
To review in depth all the elements of the Tentative Agreement, please visit the this link Full Time/Part Time Unit Tentative Agreement Package
