Faculty and staff at the Community College of Philadelphia ended a nine-day strike March 26 after securing raises averaging almost 4 percent annually over the next five years. Their contract also maintains healthcare benefits with premiums paid by the employer—another priority of the 400 full-time faculty, 700 part-time faculty and 200 staff represented by the Faculty and Staff Federation/AFT.

The three units voted overwhelmingly to pass the contract. But reflecting just how acrimonious bargaining was, the full-time faculty unanimously passed a motion to hold a referendum on a vote of no-confidence in the CCP president, Stephen Curtis.

The strike was based on issues of equity. The union was seeking varied percentage increases to address unit inequities that had occurred in the past when higher-paid faculty had sacrificed on their raises in order to increase the pay of lower-paid faculty—some of whom still make only $35,800 a year. The college's last, best offer of 3.62 percent did not allow for the adjustments, because the money would come to the three units in one lump sum that would have to be divided. The offer was about $2.3 million short of a solution that would provide an adequate minimum increase for all.

The weekend before the strike, the FSF negotiating team reworked the proposal, closing $1.5 million of the gap. The college refused to budge on coming up with a total of $800,000, or $160,000 a year.

The break in the stalemate occurred when U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D-Pa.) offered to facilitate. Eventually, he and Gov. Edward Rendell came up with a promise to find the $800,000 in the state's budget. Initially, the college turned that down, too, says FSF co-chair John Braxton, "saying literally, 'we don't want to reward a strike. There are consequences for bad behavior.'"

Students were very supportive of their faculty and staff. They organized their own demonstration and chants ("2-4-6-8, Let our teachers educate!") and brought them doughnuts and coffee on the picket line. Other boosts came from unions, including Temple University Graduate Student Association, Student Labor Action Project, AFSCME and Jobs with Justice. The Electricians and Carpenters both loaned space to FSF.

In addition to the contract, which runs from September 1, 2006, through August 30, 2011, the union scored other victories. Thanks to a mayoral candidates' forum sponsored by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers in March, all of the candidates for mayor are on videotape in support of full city funding for the college. PFT president and AFT vice president Ted Kirsch helped in the contract settlement.

An added plus is that the FSF has been "revitalized," says Braxton. "We had a spirit of solidarity on the picket line that spread to our younger members." The college can face the consequences of that, adds his co-chair, Karen Schermerhorn. [Barbara McKenna]

March 29, 2007