Title: An act relating to pay equity for part-time community and technical college faculty.

Brief Description: Requiring pay equity for community and technical college part-time faculty.

Sponsors: Senators Kohl-Welles, Delvin, Shin, Spanel, Carrell, Fairley, Keiser, Roach, Jacobsen, Poulsen, Kline, Pridemore, McAuliffe, Weinstein, Eide, Berkey, Rasmussen and Rockefeller.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce, Research & Development: 2/21/05, 3/1/05 [DPS-WM, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5802 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Parlette, Ranking Minority Member; Brown, Keiser and Prentice.

Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by Senator Honeyford.

Staff: Alison Mendiola (786-7483)

Background: In 1996, the Legislature directed the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to develop a 10 year plan and submit recommendations to address pay disparity among full and part-time college faculty. The SBCTC convened a Best Practices Task Force which submitted a report in the fall of 1996.

Among the topics discussed in the report was whether part-time faculty should be paid on a "pro rata" basis or a "parity" basis compared to full-time faculty. Pro rata assumes that part-time faculty have proportionally the same teaching, counseling, and administrative workloads as full-time faculty. A pro rata pay schedule would pay a half-time faculty at 50 percent of full-time. Parity pay assumes that part-time faculty do not always have the same non-teaching duties as full-time faculty, and could therefore be paid on a lower salary schedule.

The report recommended a combination of the two approaches, to be implemented over the next 10 years. Despite the recommendation made by the Best Practices Task Force, some part-time faculty at community and technical colleges feel that the most equitable way to compensate part-time faculty is exclusively on a pro-rata basis.

Summary of Substitute Bill: In the 2005-07 biennial appropriations act and thereafter, it is the goal of the Legislature to provide sufficient funds within available funding to the community and technical colleges to implement and maintain pay equity for part-time college faculty.

Salary schedules are subject to local collective bargaining and must reflect that part-time faculty should be paid on a pro rata basis.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The original bill was not considered.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Equal pay for equal work. Many part-time faculty do as much work as full-time faculty, yet they are not appropriately compensated. For example, part-time faculty hold unpaid office hours and sit on many committees on a voluntary basis. Students pay the same tuition whether they are taught by part-time or full-time faculty. Part-time faculty provide the greatest financial aid in that part-time faculty teach 2/3 of the classes. Part-time faculty provide an equal commitment to teaching yet receive less than half the salary of full-time faculty. Teachers can bargain step increases, etc locally but need the Legislature to provide adequate funding. It is recommended that page 2, line 10, where it reads "sufficient" be changed to read "will receive".

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Jack Longmate, Olympic College AHE & Part-Time Faculty Association; Keith Hoeller, Part-Time Faculty Association; Doug Collins, Dana Rush, WAPTFA; Ruth Windhover, Washington Education Association; Sandra Shroeder, AFT Washington; Annette Stofer, AFT Washington, Seattle Central Community College; Phil Jack, AFT Washington, Green River Community College; Chris Reyladil, John Buesenbag, State Board of Community and Technical Colleges; Lynn Dodson, AFT Washington, Seattle Central Community College; Mack Murray, AFT Washington Seattle; and Carol Wilkinson, AFT Washington Whatcom.