The part-time faculty, who make up two-thirds of all faculty teaching at the two-year college, have been seeking union representation for two years. First the full-time faculty union declined to include them. Then, when they were in the midst of organizing with the AFT, the district moved covertly to force them into the union that didn't want them.  Despite two decisions from the Public Employment Relations Board and the State Court of Appeals supporting the PTFU-AFT, the district continued to use its extensive resources to try to impose its will on the part-time faculty. Yet, given a fair and legal election, the message was clear. "We stood for one overriding principle: dignity and respect," says Michael Ward, leader of the AFT organizing committee.

Part-time faculty have the same qualifications as full-time faculty but receive only 35 percent of the pay full-timers get for teaching the same class. They are expected to prepare for class, grade papers and advise students, but are not compensated for it. They have no medical benefits and are not allowed to buy into the district plan nor to use on-campus health facilities.

During the fight for a union, part-timers saw their classes--if not their jobs--taken away from them. "Many part-timers have taught for the district for 15 or 20 years or more, semester after semester, and this is how the college treats them," Ward says. Linda Cushing , AFT national representative, added, "I have never seen a district fight so long and hard using public funds to prevent their faculty from exercising their free choice to select their own union."

Now, the main issues before the union in contract talks are equal pay for equal work, paid office hours, medical benefits, job security/rehire rights and a fair dispute resolution mechanism through a neutral third party. [Linda Cushing, Judi McDuff, Barbara McKenna]

[November 18, 2003]