On March 1, a local of part-time faculty at Allan Hancock College that had severed its affiliation with the Communications Workers of America, voted to affiliate with the California Federation of Teachers and the AFT. The local, which represents 400 people, has a first contract that ends in 2004 but is beginning to negotiate salary reopeners with the help of its new union.

With more than one choice for affiliation, the Allan Hancock Part-Time Faculty Association chose to affiliate with the AFT because it was a "less traditional union," says Mark Miller, president of the AHPTFA. "We like autonomy," he adds. "We tell CFT what we want. That means something to us."

Negotiating the AFT way is as "different as night and day at the bargaining table," Miller says. "We're asking the right questions. It's a more professional, experienced approach."

The Allan Hancock part-timers join the growing list of part-time locals that have become part of the CFT/AFT in the past two years, notes AFT national representative Linda Cushing.

These include part-timers in North Orange County, and at Palomar, Citrus and San Jose/Evergreen colleges. [Barbara McKenna / AFT On Campus]

[May 21, 2002]