To: Maria.Conzatti@ncc.edu; BoardOfTrustees@ncc.edu
CC: hkopel@nassaucountyny.gov; dford@nassaucountyny.gov; kabrahams@nassaucountyny.gov; sbynoe@nassaucountyny.gov; csolages@nassaucountyny.gov; DMule@nassaucountyny.gov; Wgaylor@nassaucountyny.gov; JGiuffre@nassaucountyny.gov; MPilip@nassaucountyny.gov; Dwhitton@nassaucountyny.gov; jkennedy@nassaucountyny.gov; TMcKevitt@nassaucountyny.gov; lschaefer@nassaucountyny.gov; Jferretti@nassaucountyny.gov; ADrucker@nassaucountyny.gov; Rwalker@nassaucountyny.gov; JLafazan@nassaucountyny.gov; RNicolello@nassaucountyny.gov; MGiangregorio@nassaucountyny.gov
Subject: A “pay cut” of NCC faculty is cruel
Dear Interim President Maria P. Conzatti and NCC Board of Trustees,
It is extremely disappointing that the college has chosen to exercise the option under CBA section 36-5 to impose the health insurance premiums on the faculty. As you are all aware, this clause in the contract is over 41 years old and has never been invoked despite the many times we have worked under an expired contract. This action will cause great and possibly irreparable financial hardship for many of us, including Jr faculty whose biweekly paychecks are already not enough to cover rent, car payments, other living expenses, and their educational loans. Senior faculty have had minimal wage increases for over a decade and now find the purchasing power of that salary further reduced by inflation.
This is no possible excuse for inflicting this pain on faculty who have sacrificed greatly for the college both during and before COVID. Our starting salaries range from approximately $55,000 to $60,0000 in a county where a family of three just approaches middle class when earning $96,500. The proposed wage cut will result in great financial hardship. In sum, the college is embarking on destroying its full-time faculty, who perform an essential service to the county and its residents.
The implementation of this “pay cut” will have a devastating impact on the College. Some faculty will retire early, while others will leave for the private sector further eroding our ability to serve our students. This will further deplete the college and its ability to recover enrollment.
In consideration of the above, we ask you not impose this cut on the faculty.
Respectfully,