Minutes from Union Executive Committee Meeting

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Present – Michael Abraham, Rick Applin, Dennis Cecere, Peter Cokkinias, Beth Denisch, Rich Grudzinski, Danny Harrington, Teodros Kiros, Jeff Perry, Wendy Rolfe, Jackson Schultz, David Scott, Will Silvio, guest – Phil Lima.

  1. Jackson opened the meeting. Danny made a motion to accept the minutes from last week from the previous meeting, Peter seconded; the vote was unanimous to accept the minutes.
     
  2. Phil Lima made a presentation on the possible change to Tufts and eventually transition to EdHealth to create a consortium to lower our health care costs. Blue Cross is not willing to participate in the EdHealth plan and therefore no longer a viable candidate. In terms of quality, the NCQA rates Tufts very high, number one or two with Harvard Pilgrim nationwide. In comparison between Harvard and Tufts, Tufts was far superior in creating a deal with Berklee and created a rate increase structure that has limits, no other company would do that. John Eldert has been the main person behind creating the EdHealth consortium.
     
  3. We discussed the plan and the move to Tufts.
     
  4. The ULP’s have been filed. Management is aware of them and we should be hearing from the labor board soon. Jackson will be meeting with Larry Simpson on another topic today.
     
  5. Jackson will be having lunch with Roger Brown on October 17.
     
  6. There are senior faculty that have been assigned 6-8 classes, the contract is clear that the faculty must OK the situation. 
     
  7. We may be filing an additional ULP based on the missing paycheck on August 30. Bad faith bargaining, if we were asked to skip a pay check, everyone should skip one, staff/admin included. It is a complicated situation. 
     
  8. We need to discuss a full-faculty meeting sometime this fall.