Colleagues:
I am writing to let all of you know that our case was heard today in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. A three-judge panel listened to the oral arguments of both sides, asked questions of both the College’s attorney and our attorney, and as expected, rendered no opinion from the bench. I have been told that we now have to be patient while we wait for a ruling from the Court. The waiting period can be as short as one day to three months or longer. We are hopeful that the waiting period will not be too long and that The Court rules in our favor.
Thanks to all who attended our full faculty meeting last month. We on the Executive Committee appreciated your attendance and your active participation in the meeting. I mentioned in the meeting that the initial salary review which some of you requested is still in process. A number of faculty members received an e-mail stating that a review of their initial salary has been completed and there will be no increase in salary. If you received one of these e-mails and have questions, please contact Santo Scrimenti directly and request a meeting with him. He assured me that he is willing to meet with each faculty member individually to review their individual request. Please feel free to request that a member of the Executive Committee sit in with you when you have this meeting. Others of you received an e-mail stating that you will receive an increase in your salary. This communication should include the specific dollar amount of your increase and the conditions under which the College is agreeing to award you this increase in salary. Do not hesitate to contact a member of the Executive Committee if you have any questions about this communication. You can also request a meeting with Santo Scrimenti so that he can provide you with additional information on how the College arrived at the decision they made to increase your salary.
Plans for the upcoming negotiations are underway. We plan on negotiating for increases in salary, EAP, over load pay, and resolving a discrepancy in the short-term disability policy between faculty and the staff and administration. All that occurs concerning negotiations at the table is generally confidential until both sides release a joint statement or until both sides agree that some information can be released. With this in mind I will keep you all posted as best I can once negotiations begin.
I hope that your beginning to the semester has been uneventful, that all of the students in your classes are delightful, and that they will do all that you ask in a respectful and timely manner. We should all be so lucky.
On behalf of the Chapter,
Harry Z.
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