April 13, 2016

San Mateo Community College Federation of Teachers, AFT 1493

Minutes of General Membership/Executive Committee Meeting

April 13, 2016  – Cañada College


EC members present: Najla Abrao, Eric Brenner, Victoria Clinton, Salumeh Eslamieh, Katharine Harer, Dan Kaplan (Exec. Secr.), Michelle Kern, Teeka James, Doniella Maher, Monica Malamud, Sandi Raeber-Dorsett, Joaquin Rivera, Paul Ruckhaus, Anne Stafford, Elizabeth Terzakis, Shaye Zahedi.

AFT 1493 members present: Leonor Cabrera (Accounting @ Cañada), Jessica Silver-Sharp (Librarian @ Skyline), Elsa Torres (Interior Design @ Cañada)
Guests: Laura Kurre (CFT Training Director), Paul Bissember (CFT Organizer)

Facilitator: Katharine Harer

Meeting began at 2:37 p.m.

 

  1. Welcome and Introductions

Done.

  1. Statements from AFT (non EC) members on Non-Agenda Items

Leonor had a question regarding load. Leonor was advised to get data. If this issue has been resolved, get it in writing; otherwise, contact the union.

  1. Minutes of March 9, 2016 AFT meeting

Minutes approved unanimously with minor edits.

  1. Nominations

Dan shared the nominations for AFT 1493 Executive Committee 2016-2018 that he had received. No additional nominations were made at the meeting. The ballot will not list nominees for campus chair and PT rep at Cañada, as there were no nominations. If candidates are identified while elections are underway, they can run as write-ins; write-ins need to receive a minimum number of votes in order to be elected. If positions remain vacant after the election, the EC can make appointments.

  1. Negotiation Update – Joaquin Rivera

Clarification: on the AFT’s proposal, Appendix D, the proposal lists D1 only, but once this is settled, it will also be done for appendices D2 and D3.

Our District’s reponses to our proposal:

  • District does not agree to re-defining office hours to include virtual office hours
  • District does not agree to take out the requirement of 25 hours on campus. District wants language requiring faculty to be on campus at least 4 days a week
  • Spreading out health insurance benefit deduction: only if all faculty are on a Aug-May payroll, and if all faculty are on the new deduction schedule
  • Professional Development: AFT requested increase in funding from 1% to 2%. District rejected this, but countered by offering a Sabbatical Program
  • District rejected the proposal of guaranteed interview for PT
  • District rejected the proposal of binding arbitration
  • District team relayed BOT’s surprise that faculty could bank up to 30 units (as opposed to 15) to be used in the year prior to retirement. They questioned the benefit to the District.
  • Payroll schedule: District wants to have everyone on the same pay schedule. AFT agrees going forward, but grandfathering those faculty who are on the Sept-May payroll schedule

Joaquin presented the following District proposals to the EC for feedback:

  • Cancel flexibility for flex days for all faculty. For PT, District wants to pay them only for attendance to district-sponsored activities. Discussion: AFT will propose a hybrid system where PT has the right to get paid at regular rate as with the current flexible flex, and in addition, for those who would otherwise not get paid, they can be paid at special rate for attending district-sponsored activities on designated flex days
  • Right of administrators to teach courses: District brought back the same proposal we got earlier. AFT has argued against this proposal for a variety of reasons and maintains its position
  • PT seniority: AFT rejects the District’s proposal of shortening time on the seniority list
  • Revising faculty evaluation procedures: AFT rejects changes, since our District just went through a very thorough revision of the evaluation procedures
  • Leaves:
  1. Parental leave: the District is looking at the San Francisco model about parental leave
  2. Sick relative: the District agrees to remove the cap of 6 sick days to be used to care for a sick relative
  3. Disability benefits for FT: the District is researching differences between Hartford (current disability insurance) and SDI (what our PT faculty have)

 

  1. Building Power conversations

Led by Laura, the EC discussed workload equity petition signing, both online and on paper.

Katharine solicited faculty names and ideas for a presentation to the BOT on May 11, 2016.

Laura, Paul and Monica explained the next steps in the BP campaign

  • For new contacts: sign Workload Equity petition, complete Count Me In card, save the date for BOT meeting of 5/11, join the union (if agency fee payer)
  • Follow-up contacts: sign Workload Equity Petition, ask colleagues to sign it, attend BOT meeting 5/11 (track RSVPs).

EC members huddled by campus to strategize on how to carry out the next steps of the BP campaign on each campus

 

  1. Sharing values activity and Practicing the skills of organizing: tabled.

 

  1. Schools our Children Deserve Conference Wrap-up Report – Katharine Harer and Michelle Kern

Over 300 people attended. There was a nice mix of attendees—teachers, students, parents, etc. The Conference was a very successful event. Very useful contacts with community members were made. Now we have the attendees contact information, and we can invite them to future events, such as a forum or town hall meeting.

Michelle and Katharine thanked everyone who participated and volunteered to help.

 

  1. Statements from EC members on Non-Agenda items

Michelle/Sandi: planning for a May 5th PT faculty appreciation event at CSM

Teeka: post retirement contracts are still available on a case-by-case basis

Dan: see April 5 email on “the CEO initiative”. Dan has been on the CFT leadership group that is dealing with the ACCJC issue. Ron G will be writing an article for the May Advocate

Dan: there was a 2.5 hr study session at the last BOT meeting about the new direction that Community, Continuing and Corporate Education (CCCE) has been taking under Jonathan Bissell’s helm.

  1. Closed Session

The EC discussed confidential personnel matters.
Meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.