Stop AFT 2121 CCSF Sell Out Of Part Time Faculty

Stop AFT 2121 CCSF Sell Out Of Part Time Faculty
Tentative Faculty Contract Agreement is Regressive, Increases Inequality and Reinforces Our Two-Tier System


People from the faculty union certainly put in a great deal of time in negotiations and deserve our appreciation. However, (like the union leadership’s own pay proposal), the agreement reached, if approved, keeps in place features that instead of moving us in the direction of equality does the opposite.

The tentative agreement results in an across-the-board pay increase of 14% over three years. That results in those paid the most getting the largest increase in money and those at the lowest end of the pay scale (the majority of faculty, part-timers and more recently hired full-timers) receiving the least amount of money. That is regressive. Instead of reducing inequality in the ranks of faculty, the enactment of the contract will result in increasing it.

In addition, there is the full restoration of salary cuts in 2021. Those salary cuts were sold to us as progressive since those making the most were to receive a larger percentage cut. The restoration is therefore regressive since those making the most will get the biggest payment. Under the salary cut agreement, many part-time faculty lost their jobs enduring a 100% salary cut—they will get nothing. Additionally, those who will receive the largest restoration amount, in the years prior to the cut, had been getting the biggest pay increases. See my article on this agreement (link below)

I wrote to the leadership months ago about their regressive pay proposal. Nothing changed.

The union leadership’s pay proposal is also contrary to the spirit of the CFT that has set up a task force “to develop a strategic plan for transitioning to a one-tier system” which is one in which the pay and benefits per class taught or work done are equal. It is also contrary to the CFT’s Policies & Positions Handbook where, at 4.2.7, support is expressed for “The principle of equal pay for equal work and the ending of the two-tiered wage system,” and, at 4.7.1, support is shown for

“A single system in which all California community college instructors are considered members of the faculty and are placed on a single salary schedule, with the same salary, health and other benefits and the same non-teaching responsibilities as fulltime faculty, paid on a pro rata basis, proportional to hours taught.”

In other words, our own AFT leadership put forward proposals not in line with our own state leadership. In addition, our union’s Sunshine Document approved by delegates at I. E. calls for achieving “a one-tiered contract with equality in pay, benefits, and strengthened job security for all faculty and all assignment types,” a position not followed as reflected in the goals they put forward in negotiations.

The union leadership’s pay proposal and the tentative agreement completely violates what many see as a principle of unions which is to seek to benefit its lowest paid members the most.

I certainly want full-time faculty to be properly compensated, but part-time faculty deserve the same and will not be getting it under this contract.

Again, approval of the tentative agreement will result in increasing the inequality of pay between the highest paid and lowest paid faculty. From what I have read, it also keeps in place not just the inferior benefits part-time faculty receive, but an ongoing increase in pay inequality under the step system in which full-time faculty move up a step each year, generally increasing their pay, while part-time faculty must work two years before moving up a step.

For these reasons, I am voting against ratification of the contract and urge you to do likewise.

However, I understand you may desperately need the additional money you will receive by members approving this contract. You may have an insecure situation and do not feel comfortable voting against the contract even though you agree with me.

Whether or not you vote yes, but agree with much of what I am expressing, please send a message to the union leadership. Let them know that you feel they are not acting in the interest of all faculty in their failure to put forward demands that move us towards equality and in the direction of ending our two-tier contract, and by failing to call for more for those paid the least.

Thank you.

Rick Baum

My article on the previous concessionary agreement https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/12/27/how-exploited-job-insecure-part-time-faculty-get-screwed-at-progressive-city-college-of-san-francisco/

CFT task force to end two-tier system https://www.cft.org/article/cft-task-force-end-two-tier-system-community-colleges-convenes#:~:text=The%20task%20force%20is%20born,also%20well%20aligned%20with%20CFT's

AFT 2121 Sunshine Document click link in green Sunshine Document found at https://www.aft2121.org/2023/02/special-meeting-2-10-friday-3-5pm-to-endorse-sunshine-bargaining-document-attached/

CFT’s Policies & Positions Handbook https://www.cft.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/cft_policies_and_positions_handbook.pdf

Check out the California Part-Time Faculty Association website https://cpfa.org/