While the issues of pay inequity, the lack of job security, and access to health benefits are major challenges that plague part-time faculty —collegiality, inclusion, and connection with their campuses and fellow faculty are also important for a part-time faculty member’s long-term involvement with a particular institution. Key to increasing adjunct involvement and connection in the California community colleges is increasing both the opportunities for and compensation of part-time faculty participation in shared governance.

The time for the Saturday training on Unemployment Benefits available for P/T instructors has been modified slightly. We will begin at 10:30 until 12:00. The reason has to do with the availability of the building (which is normally closed on Saturday). This created a scheduling conflict. Remember the training is at 816 Camarillo Springs Rd. This is a large 2 story building that sits by itself once you exit the freeway. When you come in the main glass doors it will be the first classroom on your right.

Our resident expert, AFT VP David Carey, is the instructor of record for this training. He clearly knows the ins and outs of how to successfully apply for this benefit. As previously mentioned, many part-time instructors have added substantial amounts of income from this hard won court "victory". As a non-contract employee, you are essentially laid off between assignments end dates until your new start date. And if your next assignment is not until the fall, you are eligible all summer for unemployment benefits.

In addition to learning how to apply online, David will cover eligibility issues.  ​

April 30

1927: An explosion at the Everettville mine in Everettville, W. Va., kills 109 miners, many of whom lie in unmarked graves to this day.

2012: The Obama administration’s National Labor Relations Board implements new rules to speed up unionization elections. The new rules are largely seen as a counter to employer manipulation of the law to prevent workers from unionizing.

By Renee Fraser

One of the anomalies of the California Community College system is the arbitrary cap in California Ed Code that limits part-time faculty members to a .67 teaching load (10 units) in any one district. No other higher educational system in the country has such a limit. A 60% limit was first established in the 1960s as an effort to prevent the over-use of adjunct labor and to protect tenured faculty positions. Obviously, this was an utter failure, as the number of contingent faculty workers expanded each decade, until now, when approximately half of all courses are taught by a part-time faculty majority. As a result of this limit, part-timers in the California Community College District must commute long distances to cobble together a full load of classes.

Among the many challenges that part-time, or contingent faculty face, health care benefits, or rather, the lack thereof, has been one of the most significant.

​According to Bloomberg, healthcare is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States, and in spite of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, in March 2010, the number of bankruptcies attributed to healthcare costs tripled in 2017, while the general rate of bankruptcies fell overall.

​Health coverage for adjuncts was at the center of the Adjunct Issues Roundtable, held Friday, March 23, at this year’s CFT Convention. Members spoke about adjunct healthcare benefits with respect to their own locals. What was revealed in the roundtable was a mix of successes, and, in some cases, a lot of work still to be done.

There was an emergency Board of Trustees Meeting last night at the District Administrative Center. This meeting had a closed sessions from 6-7 pm and an open session from 7-9 pm.

In the abbreviated agenda the closed session item was listed as "Public Employment" President, Ventura College.

At the start of the open session, several students spoke in support for the approval to increase the Student Health Fees for Fall 2019.  These fees are scheduled to increase by one dollar for the Fall.

Dear Colleagues,

The included picture is Pam and her daughter Vanessa. Pam Kennedy-Luna is an instructor at MC and a union member. I sent out an email in January about the Raoul Teihet Scholarship. Years ago, I had applied for my daughter and received the $3,000 scholarship. Pam was the only instructor that applied based on the January email. I know this because the application requires that I sign at the bottom. So we are 1 for 1. I would like to see additional union faculty take advantage of this CFT sponsored scholarship. The next deadline for submission is July 1, 2019. Below is the link. The application has several pages, but I am sure as Pam would attest, the result was worth the effort!

Doug Thiel
President, AFT 1828

https://www.cft.org/scholarships

Negotiations Update #4
April 2, 2019

The district negotiations team was joined by Laura Barroso (Director of District Human Resources). She replaced Mike Shanahan who left the district at the end of March. After introductions, we presented our proposals on Article 4 (Health Benefits), Article 5 (Workload & Assignments), Article 6 (Class Size), and Article 7 (Safety).

Although we were expecting proposals from management, they presented nothing. We hope this is a one-time occurrence since it is not possible to make progress in negotiations without both sides offering proposals.

Dear Colleagues,

I hope you all have enjoyed this spring break week. Last week-end was the 100th Anniversary Convention of the California Federation of Teachers. This is our state affiliate of the AFT. I was in attendance along with other VCCCD union faculty who asked to be delegates. I will be providing information gained at this event in our April 15th Newsletter.

Dear Colleagues,

The Board of Trustees began open session on Tuesday, March 19 at 5:40 pm and it ended at 11 pm. Below are some highlights..