| Dear Colleagues,
This message is being sent to a newly updated distribution list and should include all full-time faculty, no matter your status as probationary, temporary, or core. As we work to ensure that every faculty member who would like to receive updates is able to receive them, we realize that, in the process of updating, we may inadvertently have included some of you who would rather not. Please let us know if you experience any issues with this and please note that you can remove yourself from the distribution list at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of the communication. Thanks for your patience!
Here is your SFCC-AAUP update for the week of August 20th, 2018. In this week’s update:
· New: Summary of August 13th Faculty Union Meeting
· New: Fall Semester Meeting/Event Schedule
· New: Summary of August 10th Labor Board Meeting
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New: Summary of August 13th Faculty Union Meeting
Last Friday, August 13th, at least 35 faculty members gathered for a “welcome back” lunch and for our first SFCC-AAUP meeting of the semester. The meeting began with a reminder about upcoming elections (and, again, we encourage everyone to submit nominations for Vice President and Secretary by September 10th). Marci then introduced our new Contract Action Team as well as our Information Analysis Team and briefly explained the roles of these faculty-led groups, inviting additional participation from union members. She also summarized this summer’s happenings for those faculty members who may not be familiar with all of the events of the last few months, ending with the news of the administration’s Labor Board Representative recusing himself after the union’s mounting pressure encouraging him to do so. The Negotiations Team followed with an update, focusing on where we are in the bargaining process and emphasizing the care taken with contract language—the fact that the language that we’re proposing in our articles is always reviewed by our legal counsel and is based on language in many other institutions’ ratified contracts. The team noted that while negotiations are indeed slow, part of negotiations involves each side learning the other’s particular approach and values—a process that takes time. The team noted that the careful pace also shows that SFCC-AAUP is holding out for the strongest contract possible, is not willing to agree to a contract that encroaches on bargaining member’s rights, and recognizes that such a contract would not be ratified even if it went before members for a vote. Updates were followed by a question and answer session, most of which focused on clarifying the process of negotiations, impasse, mediation, and arbitration.
It was wonderful to have such a large, dynamic group of faculty gathered together at the beginning of the semester, and we hope to see as many of you as possible at our other meetings. While we have reached a major milestone with the submission of all contract articles to administration, it’s clear that we still have a lot of work to do. Please join us in making the vision of real shared governance and real respect for the teaching profession a reality. As we have seen through several “victories” this summer, when we raise our voices together, we can institute real change.
New: Fall Semester Meeting/Events Schedule
After our meeting we, were also able to establish a schedule for the rest of the fall semester, including a potential visit from Dr. Joerg Tiede. Dr. Tiede is a member of the staff of the national AAUP office, working in the Department of Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Governance, and will be making a speaking tour in October, focusing on academic freedom in the Trump era. After hearing that Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, and SFCC-AAUP members would be interested in his talk (while also noting that our new library director is an expert in the field as well), we have invited Dr. Tiede to visit us. When we know more details, we will let you know. In the meantime, here is a schedule of our other upcoming meetings:
“Fall Regular Meeting,” Friday, September 21st at 12:30
Joerge Tiede, “Academic Freedom in the Era of Trump,” Wednesday, October 3rd, Time TBA
Friday, October 12th at 11:30
Friday, November 16th at 12:30
New: Summary of August 10th Labor Board Meeting
On Friday, August 10th, the Local Labor Board convened for its monthly meeting. The meeting began with public comments, which were made by two faculty members: Stephen DeGiulio and Peter Taussig. Stephen spoke about why we need a faculty union, emphasizing how a union can simplify the work of both administration and faculty by clearly delineating roles and processes. Peter expressed concern that contract language was not being shared openly with faculty members and also expressed concern over the treatment of non-members by union members.
The administration’s new representative, Dr. Tom Gonzales, was introduced. Dr. Gonzales takes the place of Vincent Yermal who recused himself on August 3rd, as explained in our previous communication.
SFCC-AAUP and the administration then presented negotiation updates. Marci began by expressing the union’s appreciation for the board’s work—as well as noting our appreciation for the work that Representative Yermal did before his recusal.
Jerry continued the update, emphasizing SFCC-AAUP’s persistent frustration with the administration’s pace (still unchanged since June, only four articles have currently been “TA’d”) and seeming reluctance to adopt language proposed by the union. While recognizing that there is often good dialogue at the table, Jerry noted that the language subsequently proposed by the administration doesn’t match the discussion. In fact, the proposed language is at times punitive and demeaning, inappropriate for the faculty’s level of professionalism.
Keith Mier, the administration’s attorney and chief negotiator, disagreed with this characterization, explaining that the language proposed “fits management rights” and suggested, instead, that the slower pace might be due to the two parties using different contract templates.
After the updates were complete, Marlene Schwalje, the board neutral, posed a series of questions, resulting in an informal resolution by both parties to attempt to craft more language at the table and to agree together on a common contract template.
Addressing faculty member Peter Taussig’s concerns about open communication, both Keith and Jerry emphasized to Ms. Schwalje their shared position regarding restriction in language-sharing to the negotiations table. Jerry noted that the union continues to communicate regularly with faculty, providing both general updates as well as summaries of negotiations.
Finally, although Agent Kennedy is still formally present as the Board’s legal counsel, the Board did introduce Ami Jaeger as “alternate” counsel, able to replace Kennedy at the Board’s request.
As the parties have agreed to settle the filed PPCs, there was no hearing at this meeting. The next Labor Board meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 14th.
As always, feel free to contact us with any of your ideas, your questions, or your concerns. Wishing you a wonderful start to the new semester!
Sincerely,
SFCC-AAUP Executive Committee |
Santa Fe Community College AAUP 