The Advocate

The Advocate, newsletter of the San Mateo Community College Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1493, is available in .pdf format– by clicking on the links for the specific issues below. Links to individual articles in an issue are listed under the link for that issue. (To read .pdf files, download Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

E-Mail The Advocate: Click here to send us your letters, article or comments
Click here to see The Advocate Archives (issues from 1999-present)

May 2018

May 2018 (pdf)

In this issue

• AFT Local 1493 elects new leaders for 2018-2020; Paul Rueckhaus is new President
• Our Academy Awards: AFT 1493 wins 8 CFT Communications Awards
• CFT Convention: Key decision-making & inspiration
• Dan Kaplan, AFT 1493 anchor, to retire after 24 years
• 2018 AFT 1493 Scholarships awarded
• Part-timer appreciation event held at Skyline
• Adjunct faculty eligible for unemployment benefits
• 2018 AFT 1493 Communications Awards winners
• Interview with CFT Publications Director

March-April 2018

March-April 2018 (pdf)

In this issue

• District must stop violating “50% Law”
• Full-timers: Complete the Workload Survey;
  Adjuncts: Be sure you’re paid for non-teaching work
• Janus vs. AFSCME anti-union Supreme Court Case explained
• AFT 1493 members join rally against Janus case
• PERS health coverage working well for retirees
• “College for All” organizers working to get initiative on November ballot
• AFT 1493 By-Law amendments to be voted on in union election
• Major anti-war rally to be held in Oakland on April 15

February 2018

February 2018 (pdf)

In this issue:

• District chooses to violate 50% law… again
• Faculty concerned about questionable class cancellations
• Chancellor’s view on 50% law
• Janus vs. AFSCME: Union-busting coming to Supreme Court
• “College for All” California ballot initiative
• CFT opposes online-only community college
• Workload Equity Committee to distribute new survey
• Get involved in AFT 1493: Run for office!
• Benefits Committee explores alternatives to CalPERS insurance
• AFT 1493 Executive Committee spring retreat

December 2017

December 2017 (pdf)

In this issue:

• Complexities of developing an academic calendar
• Board sets map and schedule for district elections
• Talk on issues of free speech on college campuses
• Workload Committee developing new faculty survey
• Oral History Project records retirees’ memories
• College scholarships available to AFT members’ children
• Part-timers are eligible for unemployment
• Benefits Committee to explore alternative health coverage

November 2017

November 2017 (pdf)

In this issue:

• Part-time faculty highlight inequities
• Interest in alternative methods of responding to complaints against faculty
• New “Equity Investigator” position raises concerns
• District admits it “erred” by offering their “factual” information to faculty about negotiations
• Workload Committee begins to look at how to resolve inequities
• Injunction filed to stop sale of KCSM-TV
• Early history of Local 1493 – Part 3
• AFT 1493 endorses Tony Thurmond for Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Concerns about ITS’ plans to change login procedures
• Letter to The Advocate