Standing room only: Union members expose contract shortfalls, demand real bargaining

By Jessica Silver-Sharp

In a strong showing of democratic participation, leaders and rank and file members representing all three of SMCCCD’s employee unions recently crowded the District’s boardroom to decry the many ways that protracted negotiations are failing to produce fair pay, benefits and other essential protections for union members districtwide.

On August 27, CSEA and AFT marched together after gathering in Building 1, and were met by AFSCME members in green. Once the meeting began, union leaders addressed their comments to the Trustees, who were joined by the college presidents, student trustee Michael Llanell-Vararaj and Chancellor Melissa Moreno. (Note: find all speakers quoted in this article in Board meeting recordings linked below).^{1, 4}

 

CSEA 2nd Vice President Fauzi Hamadeh presented a succinct and powerful analysis of the District’s actual financials that clearly proved the District’s ability to pay a fair wage.² This followed a more in-depth memo CSEA Chapter 33 had earlier presented to Trustees. 

AFT President Rika Yonemura Fabian reminded the Chancellor about her own recent comments at the District Opening Day assuring her employees that our District above all else, values its people. Her reproach: “A contract that provides fair pay and provisions for employee well-being would demonstrate such a commitment to valuing employees as people,” emphasizing, “so far, we don’t see that.” 

Again citing facts proving the District’s ability to pay while also noting his union contract’s two month expiration date, AFSCME 829 leader Ryan Shannon castigated the administration: “Every day that drags on sends a message to everyone in this room that the district doesn’t see its own workers as a priority.”

Next, Board Chairman Mike Guingona announced to the crowd that they’d be denied their right to speak publicly that evening because they had missed the 5:00pm agenda slot to comment on closed session items (namely bargaining). Union members and leaders swiftly rejected that decision, citing years of precedence, and Chairman Guingona capitulated — but reduced allotted speaking times from three minutes to one. 

Thirty-two speakers followed, passionately raising a wide range of concerns related to contract provisions so far denied to all three unions in ongoing negotiations. Henry Fan of CSM explained: 

“Fair compensation is about dignity. We can’t promote equity while reinforcing wealth supremacy and wealth extraction…Like our firefighters and nurses, our community suffers when those who care for it can’t afford to stay in a region shaped by inequality.”

Mother-daughter classified professional team Alicia and Aria Frangos reminded the Board of their deep commitment to SMCCCD students while Skyline student alumnae Becca Wilson echoed the words of others, that “Inflation and the rising cost of living is exactly the reason the board should be supporting these new contracts.” AFSCME 33 President Joseph Puckett, San Mateo County Labor Council rep. Julie Lind, and many members of the Peninsula Democratic Socialists Club also spoke out. Covering the action from a student perspective, journalists from the Skyline College student newspaper, The Skyline View, attended as well.³

Round Two: September 10, 2025

Union members returned to the Board en masse on September 10 to continue delivering their demands to the Trustees. With the Boardroom overflowing its capacity, many members looked on from the 2nd floor lobby. The majority of the almost 30 speakers demanded wages that keep up with inflation and the cost of living in one of the richest counties “in the history of the world” (Prof. Ben Feldman, Skyline). Many CSEA and AFT speakers specifically called out their solidarity with AFSCME workers, who held protest signs and flanked them in support.⁴

Among other topics, AFT faculty members challenged the District’s decision to deny essential family leave (Prof. Maher, Cañada) and salaries able to combat rapidly rising health insurance costs (Profs. James & Travis, CSM) or even account for inflation. Other faculty reminded the Board that academic freedom is a core value necessary for faculty to express and challenge ideas and beliefs without threat or fear of retaliation. (Profs. Zarur, Skyline; Eck & Lanska, Cañada) and that the District must take real action to protect undocumented immigrants and transgender faculty, provisions to protect the latter having been rejected by the District in bargaining (Profs. Kaslan, Cañada & Fabian Yonemura, Skyline). Faculty also demanded fair pay for lab classes and adjunct faculty.

Reminding the Board of the financial presentation shared earlier, CSEA 33 Secretary Rosie Morrison, shared:  “The district team has not formally presented a counter based in fact. The only response we have received from the board’s attorney is just because the district has more, doesn’t mean you’re going to get more.” Many other speakers that evening called out the rude and disrespectful tone of the District’s hired negotiators, anti-union lawyers Randy Erickson and Ellen Wu during bargaining sessions with the unions.

As the speakers continued, the anger in the room became increasingly palpable. In a fiery concluding speech, CSEA steward and Skyline College Public Safety Officer Brandon Becerra shamed the Board for failing to prioritize campus safety for students and employees by instead deferring to minimal staffing of officers required by law. 

Ana Mata from The San Mateo Daily Journal ⁵ turned out to cover the three-union action and the student journalists also returned.⁶

These recent actions demonstrate the unwavering solidarity of our unions in pursuing fair working conditions that benefit both employees and students. We will continue this effort until meaningful progress is achieved. Trustees and administrators must engage, bargain in good faith, and deliver a fair contract.

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Endnotes

1. Board of Trustees August 27 meeting, video recording, https://smccd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=df4f7990-d294-4d31-a4fe-b348012c41ea&start=5197.28872
2. Fauzi Hamedeh’s PDF presentation for CSEA
3. “Teachers union AFT1493 continues to protest for higher annual raise at district board meeting,” The Skyline View, August 28, 2025.
4. Board of Trustees September 10 meeting, video recording, https://smccd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=a1ed1f6c-4fb0-4244-a6fc-b35501112e20&start=554.939194
5. “San Mateo County Community College District teachers’ union demands higher raise: District negotiators offering teachers a maximum 2% raise for next 3 years,” The San Mateo Daily Journal, Sept. 13, 2025.
6. “AFT1493 protests at second district board meeting this semester,” The Skyline View, Sept 12., 2025 (online edition)