September 7, 2011


San Mateo Community College Federation of Teachers, AFT 1493

Minutes of
General Membership/Executive Committee Meeting

September 7, 2011 at College of San Mateo

 


EC Members Present:
Eric Brenner, Chip Chandler, Victoria Clinton, Dave Danielson, Nina Floro, Katharine Harer, Teeka James, Dan Kaplan, Yaping Li, Monica Malamud, Lisa Suguitan Melnick, Sandi Raeber Dorsett, Joaquin Rivera, Anne Stafford, Masao Suzuki, Elizabeth Terzakis, Lezlee Ware, Rebecca Webb

Other Attendees:

Janet Black, Lloyd Davis, Deb Garfinkle, Margaret Hanzimanolis, Michelle P. Kern, Emily Munson, Karen Olesen, Lucia Olson, Rudy Ramirez, Kristi Ridgway, Jan Tarski

 

Meeting begun: 3:05

Facilitator: Joaquin Rivera

 

1.  Tentative Agreement

Background:

AFT 1493’s negotiating team reached a Tentative Contract Agreement with the District in July. The TA included minimal gains, but also no take backs. The Executive Committee voted at its retreat on August 19, 2011 to recommend faculty vote “yes” on the TA. However, in light of the announcement and approval at the August 24 Board of Trustees meeting of a package of pay increases for Academic Supervisors, AFT called today’s special meeting to discuss our options. Many members of Executive Committee feel that, after almost two years of the District insisting during contract negotiations that there is simply no money for faculty pay increases, these pay increases are evidence of the District having bargained in bad faith.

 

Next Steps:

Our negotiating team consulted with our attorney to determine our current options:

  • Do nothing and go forward with our “yes” recommendation to faculty.
  • Rescind our August 19 vote to recommend that faculty vote to approve the TA. 

If we vote to rescind, we have the following options:

  • Request that the District return to the bargaining table.
  • Recommend a “no” vote to faculty.
  • Put the TA to a faculty vote without a recommendation from AFT.

 

Action: 

After extended discussion of arguments for and against the above options, the EC took the following two votes:

  • Rescind the August 19 vote (12 “yes,” 0 “no,” and 4 “abstain”).
  • Send the TA to the general membership for a vote without a recommendation from AFT (12 “yes,” 0 “no,” and 4 “abstain”).

In addition to the above votes, we agreed to do the following:

  • Disseminate information to the faculty regarding the District’s actions, our rationale for rescinding our original August vote, and faculty salary comparisons within the Bay 10 Community Colleges.
  • Use this situation as an opportunity to organize.
  • Return to the bargaining table.

 

2.  Board of Trustee Candidate Endorsements     

The EC voted to endorse Joe Ross (11 “yes,” 0 “no,” and 2 “abstain”).

 

Meeting adjourned: 5:00 p.m.