September 2015 (pdf)
In this issue:
September 2015 (pdf)
In this issue:
May 13, 2015 – Skyline
EC members present:
Najla Abrao, Eric Brenner, Lin Bowie, Vicki Clinton, Katharine Harer, Dan Kaplan (Exec. Secr.), Michelle Kern, Doniella Maher, Monica Malamud, Joaquin Rivera, Elizabeth Terzakis, Rob Williams, Shaye Zahedi
AFT (non-EC) members: Frank Young (Philosophy @ Cañada), Masao Suzuki (Economics @ Skyline).
Meeting began at 2:35 p.m.
Facilitator: Katharine Harer
Closed session
Faculty complaints and personnel matters were discussed.
7. Comments to the EC – Frank Young
Frank has been teaching in the District for 47 years. He was forced to retire and accept a buy-out. Two of the classes he was scheduled to teach in Fall 2014 were cancelled due to low enrollment, as well as one in Spring 2015. The Dean informed him that he was supposed to make up classes within one year, by teaching two classes this summer and the remaining one in the fall 2015. Frank decided to retire. However, the day before his retirement reception (five months after he was told that his only option was to make up classes within a year), VPI Anderson told Frank that he could have one, two or three years to make up the load. Furthermore, the VPI said that whether a faculty member could be given 1, 2, or 3 years to make up load would be considered on a case-by-case basis. Before this, VPI Anderson had refused to meet with Frank in person, instead relying on the Dean, who was empowered to communicate the VPI’s decision. Both Ron Galatolo and Eugene Whitlock have agreed that the VPI has been acting in an unprofessional manner.
EC members commented that there has been a pattern of some administrators disrespecting faculty in the District. The union should conduct another survey of administrators and follow up with action based on the results of the survey.
It was suggested that Frank could pursue his issue further with the EEOC and the ACLU.
1. Welcome and Introductions
Done.
2. Statements from AFT (non EC) members on Non-Agenda Items
None.
3. Minutes of April 8, 2015 AFT meeting
Minutes approved unanimously, with a few corrections sent by Dan.
4. AFT Local 1493 budget analysis
Agency fee auditor found that we had a $60,000 surplus at the end of 2014. This was due to Kathy Backwood being conservative about her projections of union dues that the union receives. The AFT 1493 budget is balanced then.
5. Negotiations update – Joaquín Rivera
Joaquin sent an email to the EC in preparation for this meeting, explaining the current state of negotiations: the District will not remove or increase the cap for total money spent on PT benefits. One of the union’s arguments for increasing the cap or removing it was that the District is not contributing the same amount per FTE—the discrepancy between AFT on the one hand and CSEA and administrators on the other hand is very significant. Eugene claims that he has forwarded all of Joaquin’s emails to the Board.
Some ideas that were discussed:
– Talking to Ron
– Having open negotiations
– Going into impasse
For next year (2015-2016), our raise is projected to be around 3.81%. Exact % is not known yet.
6. Strategic Campaign Initiative Organizing Project update – Katharine Harer
8. An activist union? – Katharine Harer
End of year summary:
– 60+ visits to faculty members, mostly FT
– 28 COPE members, up from 6
– Katharine got 3 more COPE members today
– There are two incumbents on the BOT who will run for reelection. It has not been determined whether there will be district-wide BOT elections or not.
– Katharine and Michelle are available to work on election campaign, since the CFT grant has been renewed for next year
– Goal for next year: to do more community work
– Jefferson Unified District has organized an education conference, and they want to partner with us to take on the higher education piece
– Will be asking faculty how they want to get involved in union activism in the fall
9. Review and re(appoint) AFT Reps to Committees
Motion: to re-appoint Eric Brenner as Advocate Editor. Approved unanimously.
Motion: to appoint Steven Lehigh (CSM newly hired Economics Professor) to the District Committee on Budget and Finance, to replace Masao Suzuki. Approved.
10. Workload Reduction Campaign
Tabled.
11. Resolution Supporting the National Day of Action for Medicare Turns 50
Dan prepared a resolution and he would like the EC to pass it. Approved unanimously.
12. Administration Survey update
Elizabeth and Doniella will work on this with Zev over the summer.
13. DPGC report
No report.
14. Statements from EC members on Non-Agenda items:
Lezlee and Elizabeth will not be running for re-election as Cañada co-chairs once their term ends; they are working on recruiting new union members to run for EC positions.
AFT 1493 Facebook page is fenomenal.
Monica reported on the Community College Council (CCC) meeting of May 2nd.
Meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
The tentative agreement (shown below) was ratified by faculty by a vote of 296 to 4, with 98.7% in favor of the changes.
The parties agree to make changes to the current collective bargaining agreement as highlighted below with strikethroughs and additions of new language:
MEDICAL CAP FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES
MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR PART TIME EMPLOYEES
The medical reimbursement for Part Time Faculty shall increase as follows:
Fall 2015, Spring 2016 and Fall 2016: reimbursement up to $1000/semester
The District and the AFT will jointly conduct a survey to better understand the needs of part time faculty as it concerns medical benefits. With that in mind, both the District and the AFT are fully committed to transitioning away from the existing medical benefit structure and adopting an enrollment program that will allow part time faculty to participate in a District-sponsored Kaiser plan beginning in 2017.
ARTICLE 19: PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT
19.1.2 Seniority lists shall be updated with new names and start dates that are added to the lists. Copies of the list shall be made available to faculty who make such a request. In addition a copy of the seniority lists shall be forwarded to Human Resources by the date of the fall and spring first census and copies shall be made available in the Division Office.
19.1.3 If a break in service exceeds three (3) semesters, then the person’s name is to be removed from the seniority list. If a part time faculty member requests, but is not given, an assignment, it will not constitute a break in service; however, if the faculty member is not given an assignment after requesting it for a period of five six consecutive semesters, the person’s name will be removed from the seniority list.
19.2.3 It is the responsibility of the part-time faculty member to provide information to management to be considered when determining retention and assignment.
When feasible, each College Division will make reasonable efforts to provide part-time faculty with the same or similar faculty load as an assignment of at least the same or similar faculty load as in the previous term if the part-time faculty member has received two (2) consecutive satisfactory evaluations or has been given an assignment for six (6) semesters with no negative evaluations.
19.2.4.1 In any instance in which seniority is not followed, the documented reason shall be provided to the faculty member, and AFT, at least fifteen (15) working days prior to the first day of assignment, if the faculty member requests such documentation within ten (10) working days of receipt of the assignment.
19.2.6 The appropriate administrator will provide all part-time faculty a document to request assignments and loads for each subsequent semester prior to finalization of the class schedule. When feasible, part time faculty members will be notified of their proposed assignments at least ten (10) fifteen (15) working days prior to the beginning of that assignment. If the assignment and load request is denied, the faculty member may submit a written request to the appropriate administrator who shall provide in writing the reasons for the denial.
19.3 BUYING INTO KAISER ANY DISTRICT HEALTH PLAN: Part-time faculty who meet the basic eligibility requirements, and who are not otherwise already covered by the District’s health benefit plan, shall have the right to buy into any of the District’s Health Plans Kaiser Foundation Health Plan.
All faculty:
You should have received an email on Tuesday, 9/8, from AFT 1493 President Teeka James, with the subject “Invitation to vote for the 2015 AFT Contract”.
Please click on the link on that email to vote on the following changes to the AFT-SMCCCD contract:
The parties agree to make changes to the current collective bargaining agreement as highlighted below with strikethroughs and additions of new language:
MEDICAL CAP FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES
MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR PART TIME EMPLOYEES
The medical reimbursement for Part Time Faculty shall increase as follows:
Fall 2015, Spring 2016 and Fall 2016: reimbursement up to $1000/semester
The District and the AFT will jointly conduct a survey to better understand the needs of part time faculty as it concerns medical benefits. With that in mind, both the District and the AFT are fully committed to transitioning away from the existing medical benefit structure and adopting an enrollment program that will allow part time faculty to participate in a District-sponsored Kaiser plan beginning in 2017.
ARTICLE 19: PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT
19.1.2 Seniority lists shall be updated with new names and start dates that are added to the lists. Copies of the list shall be made available to faculty who make such a request. In addition a copy of the seniority lists shall be forwarded to Human Resources by the date of the fall and spring first census and copies shall be made available in the Division Office.
19.1.3 If a break in service exceeds three (3) semesters, then the person’s name is to be removed from the seniority list. If a part time faculty member requests, but is not given, an assignment, it will not constitute a break in service; however, if the faculty member is not given an assignment after requesting it for a period of five six consecutive semesters, the person’s name will be removed from the seniority list.
19.2.3 It is the responsibility of the part-time faculty member to provide information to management to be considered when determining retention and assignment.
When feasible, each College Division will make reasonable efforts to provide part-time faculty with the same or similar faculty load as an assignment of at least the same or similar faculty load as in the previous term if the part-time faculty member has received two (2) consecutive satisfactory evaluations or has been given an assignment for six (6) semesters with no negative evaluations.
19.2.4.1 In any instance in which seniority is not followed, the documented reason shall be provided to the faculty member, and AFT, at least fifteen (15) working days prior to the first day of assignment, if the faculty member requests such documentation within ten (10) working days of receipt of the assignment.
19.2.6 The appropriate administrator will provide all part-time faculty a document to request assignments and loads for each subsequent semester prior to finalization of the class schedule. When feasible, part time faculty members will be notified of their proposed assignments at least ten (10) fifteen (15) working days prior to the beginning of that assignment. If the assignment and load request is denied, the faculty member may submit a written request to the appropriate administrator who shall provide in writing the reasons for the denial.
19.3 BUYING INTO KAISER ANY DISTRICT HEALTH PLAN: Part-time faculty who meet the basic eligibility requirements, and who are not otherwise already covered by the District’s health benefit plan, shall have the right to buy into any of the District’s Health Plans Kaiser Foundation Health Plan.
A quick video overview of California labor history: