After taking two weeks off from bargaining with AFT 2121, CCSF administration returned to the table on August 20th and declared that their negotiations with us are at impasse—before even putting their offer on the table, much less waiting for a response.
They didn’t make the “better offer” they had promised and are apparently unwilling to work with faculty further to come to an agreement, despite significant progress during previous sessions and the fact that we came to the table, for our part, ready to continue that progress.
The administration requested a declaration of impasse from the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), which has been granted as of August 27. PERB will now send a State mediator to the bargaining table to assist the parties “in reconciling their differences and resolving the controversy on terms which are mutually acceptable.” Let’s hope that a mediator is able get the negotiations “unstuck” and move towards a fair settlement.
How will this affect me? What are the outstanding issues? Where have parties agreed? How will this affect accreditation?There are no changes to our contract at this time. Administration cannot impose changes (their “final offer”) unless and until several steps have occurred: 1) we go through mediation and 2) subsequently fact-finding, but 3) still fail to reach agreement.
1. Management wants to be able to cancel classes with over twenty students. We are advocating for safeguards to prevent the displacement of students and faculty. The Administration rejected those safeguards and regressed to their original proposal.
2. Administration wants to maintain nearly all of the 5% unilateral paycut, even though faculty have already sacrificed tremendously and there is money available. Labor worked tirelessly to pass state and local measures (Props 30 and A) that have restored CCSF’s funding to pre-recession levels—and these are new, unaccounted for millions. Salaries have not advanced since 2007; further reductions are neither necessary nor prudent.
3. The administration wants to eliminate prescription drug co-pay reimbursement, while faculty want to ensure that those with severe, devastating drug costs are protected.
4. The Administration wants to deduct money from our checks for retiree healthcare, even if we don’t qualify for the benefit. Faculty have offered to forgo other benefits, such as tenure review pay, in exchange for the District paying into this fund on our behalf. (In fact, our Union proposal would fund the account at a higher rate.
Over 100 faculty attended the marathon bargaining sessions on August 6th and 7th, participating in caucuses and robust discussion about the college’s budget, financial priorities, and ways to restore the pay cuts. We reached agreement with management on:
1. Contract length (through Dec. 31, 2014).
2. The union’s proposals retaining part-time faculty re-employment rights and 86% pro-rata pay.
3. Status-quo on medical and dental benefits: the Administration agrees to maintain current level of employer contributions for all eligible faculty, part-time and full-time.
4. Our union proposal on provision of more consistent financial information.
We are concerned that those charged with putting CCSF’s affairs in order have simply walked away from negotiations when ACCJC has cited “unresolved labor disputes” as a factor in their accreditation decision. Settling our contract can only help CCSF in the accreditation process. AFT 2121 wants to continue negotiating in good faith, and we believe we can come to an agreement that will maintain the college’s financial health and move us toward regaining our accreditation. We had hoped that the District felt a similar level of commitment to resolving this quickly, but their actions—both at the table and through recent communications—indicate otherwise.
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