July 19, 2021
After earning an upgrade from Moody’s from a “Stable” to “Positive” outlook, a designation that only 2% of all ratings receive, as well as an impressively flush financial report, LIU’s Senior Administration has put a collection of egregious proposals that cut salary, benefits, and job security for all. LIU is in a better financial position than it has been in for decades.
This is a selection of some of their most horrible proposals:
Elimination of check-off / agency fee (this would bankrupt the union because Payroll would no longer collect dues—union busting)
Elimination of almost all benefits for and only offering increases of 0.25%, 0.25%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%.to full-time faculty and no increases for any other wage payments including all adjunct salary rates, overload rates, and minima salary rates
Cutting LIU’s retirement contributions for all full-time faculty by 3-6%.
Instituting post-tenure review with termination
Elimination of seniority rights for adjuncts
Elimination of LIU’s unpaid leaves of absence including infant care
Elimination of promotional salary increases
Elimination of early retirement and retirement medical benefits for all (these are worth 61% of salary for 5 years and $50,000 in retirement medical for both you and your spouse/partner for up to $100,000).
Excluding department chairs from the bargaining unit (this threatens the accreditation of many programs)
Excluding Departments and Department Chairs from setting class sizes (The Dean or VPAA would set class sizes)
Substantial reduction of sabbatical entitlements and elimination of release time for probationary faculty