For immediate release: City College administration offer not what it seems

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 13, 2016

City College Administration Offer Not What It Seems

In a new low for the administration of Interim Chancellor Susan Lamb, City College of San Francisco administration has begun bargaining in the media rather than with AFT 2121, the union that represents the 1500 full- and part-time instructors, counselors, and librarians at City College. 

A college-wide email from the chancellor, sent at end of business Tuesday, took a page out of the corporate anti-union playbook in order to mislead not just union members, but the whole college community.

Now the administration has taken it a step further, announcing this morning a “media briefing for news outlets to provide details about its latest financial offer.”

AFT 2121 has received no new financial offer from the administration. Yet Chancellor Lamb claims in her email that that they are putting “everything on the table.”

This escalation in the administration’s anti-union campaign comes as AFT 2121 is considering a one-day strike on April 27th. Students and the community have become increasingly frustrated with administration’s insistence on cutting classes by 26% and keeping salaries low while stockpiling money into reserves. Faculty salaries in particular remain below 2007 levels even before adjusting for inflation. Members of AFT 2121 voted last month to authorize a strike by a 92% margin after more than a year of unproductive bargaining.

AFT 2121 supports a college that meets the needs of San Francisco. Faculty are united in defending the college because of the educational opportunities it creates for Bay Area working families, and the vibrancy it brings to our economy and culture.

While the union has not been briefed on the so-called “offer,” it seems clear that the 5.36% described in Lamb’s email is likely a 2.68% temporary bonus for two years. As far as can be determined, base faculty salary would barely be above 2007 levels when the proposed contract ends in 2018.

AFT would welcome a real salary offer, but going around the union and to the media is not the way to do it. AFT 2121 will file an Unfair Labor Practice charge of Bad Faith Bargaining with the Public Employment Relations Board by the end of today.

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