Maria DeFilippis | American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO

Raritan Valley Community College professors concerned about possible pay freeze

December 11, 2011

By Eugene Paik/The Star-Ledger

Matt Rainey/The Star-LedgerA 2007 file photo of the West Building at Raritan Valley Community College. The College is debating a pay freeze for professors next year as part of a two-year deal.

BRANCHBURG — If Raritan Valley Community College has its way in a labor dispute with faculty, at least one professor may have trouble making ends meet.

It won’t just mean skimping on restaurant dinners or cutting back on vacations, said Mark Cozin, 63, a sociology and anthropology professor. He said he may have to pick up a second job just to pay his bills.

“I know I’m going to be worrying about things that will take away from what I can do in my discipline,” he said.

It’s a worry floating around the campus in Branchburg in the sixth month of a stalemate over a faculty contract.

At issue is a pay freeze in the first year of a proposed two-year deal, said Maria Defilippis, president of the faculty union, which represents both full-time and part-time teachers.

A 2 percent raise is reportedly included in the second year, but Defilippis said it’s not enough because teachers must contribute more toward health benefits — including 1.5 percent of their salaries next year.

That could set the salaries of young teachers lower than those given to their peers at other community colleges, Defilippis said, and possibly scare off talented educators.

“I don’t think we’re asking for the moon,” Defilippis said.

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RVCC, Watchung teachers unions struggle with contract negotiations

November 30, 2011

Contracts at RVCC, Warren remain unsettled

American Federation of Teachers Local 2375 President Maria DeFilippis speaks. / MARY IUVONE/FOR NJ PRESS MEDIA

BRANCHBURG— A labor dispute at a sleepy Central Jersey community college managed to gain the attention of some prominent Democratic politicians who attended a faculty and student rally Tuesday evening.

Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell, a Democrat from Hudson County representing the 31st District, spoke at the Raritan Valley Community College rally in solidarity with the faculty.

Also at the rally was Marie Corfield, an art teacher in the Flemington-Raritan district best known for her exchange with Gov. Chris Christie at his town halls last year in Raritan Township.

American Federation of Teachers Local 2375 President Maria DeFilippis said the rally maked the 152nd day the faculty has been working without a contract. Nearly 50 people attended the event inside the campus center.

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RVCC professors won’t give up annual salary raise

November 10, 2011

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American Federation of Teachers Local 2375 president Maria DeFilippis, said that not receiving a raise this year would amount to a taking a “true zero” because the RVCC faculty does not have automatic annual salary steps, as most public school teachers do.

And by contributing more of their salaries toward their pension and cost of health benefits, the faculty would end up with less take-home pay, she said.

“We understand the economic situation and we read the newspapers. We know what’s happening and we are not looking for the world. But we are looking for something reasonable,” DeFilippis said.

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Video: Raritan Valley CC contract rally

October 31, 2011

Union president: On contract dispute, ‘we’re not far apart’ from Raritan Valley college

October 26, 2011

By Melinda Caliendo
The union representing faculty and adjunct staff at Raritan Valley Community College held a rally and spoke at the board of trustees meeting Tuesday night in hopes of demonstrating the need to complete the contract negotiations that started this spring.

The American Federation of Teachers Local 2375, which represents more than 400 educators at the school, also issued a press release asking the college’s administration to sit down for “good faith” bargaining.

“The difficulty is economics,” said Local 2375 President Maria DeFillipis. “There seemed to be a line drawn in the sand.”

“In the past, I think there’s always been collegiality, cooperation, compromise — we don’t get that sense this time around,” DeFillipis said. “The members of my negotiating team are a group of people who believe there is real power in cooperation, and the only progress you can ever make, especially in a democracy, is through compromise.”

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Shared sacrifice: A call for fairness at Raritan Valley CC

October 25, 2011

By Maria DeFilippis – AFT Local 2375

Hello Blue Jersey community. My name is Maria DeFilippis, President of AFT Local #2375 representing the full and part time faculty at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC). As we currently work through contract negotiations, I wanted to introduce you to our situation and hopefully enlist your support and guidance as we move forward in bargaining for a fair contract for our members.

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