Negotiations Update
February 22, 2010

The CCFT Negotiations Team and the District met on January 26 for our first round of mediation at impasse. In this session we tentatively agreed (signed off) on Article 11 (Rights of the Exclusive Representative), Article 13 (Grievance Procedure), and Article 14 (Conclusion). We have three articles remaining: 8 (Personnel Files), 9 (Disciplinary Action), and 4 (Wages). Since our last session, the Federation has requested that the District return to the mediation table to complete work on Articles 8 and 9 (we are very close). Simultaneously, and despite CCFT's protests, the mediator certified both parties for fact-finding. We are waiting to hear from the District on this matter.

Fore details on these articles please refer to the current CCFT contract.

Negotiations Update
January 26, 2010

The CCFT Negotiations Team and the District met on January 26 for our first round of mediation at impasse. In this session we tentatively agreed (signed off) on Articles 11 (Rights of the Exclusive Representative), Article 13 (Grievance Procedure), and Article 14 (Conclusion). We have three article remaining, 8 (Personnel Files), 9 (Disciplinary Action), And 4 (Wages). Since our last session, the Federation has requested that the District come back to the mediation table citing the benefit for both groups to complete negotiations on Articles 8 and 9 (we are very close). Simultaneously, without support from CCFT, in fact, under our protestations the Mediator certified both parties for fact-finding. We are waiting to hear from the District on this matter.

Fore details on these articles please refer to the current CCFT contract.

Negotiations Update
June 2, 2009

Negotiations Update – June 2, 2009

The survey we recently conducted regarding the Executive Board’s performance indicated that many members would like to be more fully informed about the positions CCFT is attempting to advance in negotiations and also about the progress of negotiations.  As I mentioned in my Coach’s Corner wrap-up for the year, my research indicated that many other unions share more of this type of information with their members than we’re accustomed to sharing.  In an effort to move us in the direction of more fully informing our members about negotiations, the Executive Board is pleased to provide the following update.  Please note that our next negotiation session is June 15.

Open Article 4 – Salary and Benefits

Here are the key items under discussion in this article.

Fringe: We’re pushing hard to improve fringe benefits for both FT and PT faculty. We have proposed increases in fringe for both FT and PT faculty, as well as eliminating language in the current contract that disadvantages PT faculty on fringe.

Dental: We have reached agreement with the District on a change to dental that fixes a problem that arose from the negotiations that occurred with dental in 07-08.   Once the MOU is signed, we will notify you of the solution.

Salary: Given the continuing budget crisis, we are attempting to be realistic in our salary proposal.   We are considering many options including  proposing a formula that will encompass any and all new monies, as well as a moderate increase to salary, retroactive, for 2008-2009. In reviewing colleges that were awarded increases in salary for 08-09, almost all were either based on a formula (and thus automatic) or negotiated in the previous year.

Salary Reduction in Board Packet: On Wednesday, May 27, CCFT (and CCCUE) were notified that the President-Superintendent is asking for the Board’s approval to seek pay cuts from the members of both unions in the 2009-10 academic year. Item #O-2 reads (#O-3 is for CCCUE), The San Luis Obispo County Community College District desires to commence the process for negotiations on contract re-openers with the Cuesta College Classified United Employees (CCFT) pursuant to the public notice procedures included in Government Code Section 3547.

The District proposes to negotiate the following provisions for 2009-2010: Article 3: Salary –Negotiate the implementation of salary reductions to address the state’s financial crisis and its impact on the district.  Such salary reductions may include salary schedule reduction, step/column freeze and reduction in the scheduled work days with a commensurate reduction in salary.

Although the District is proposing a reduction – it’s not an option. We are examining all monies for compensation.

If you wish to express your disapproval regarding this items, please come to Board meeting this Wednesday at 4:00 in room 5401 with Polycom to North County.

Follow-up to Budget Cuts: During the spring semester, the Shared Governance Council and the Planning and Budget Committee developed a list of possible budget cuts that could be made to address the financial crisis.  To date, the District has not informed CCFT of the status of any proposed budget cuts.

Open Articles 8 and 9 (Personnel Files and Disciplinary Action)

The key issues here are who has access to personnel files and where personnel files are stored.  We’re making progress to advance the interests of members on these important matters.

Open Article 11 (Rights of the Exclusive Representative)

We are close to agreement with the District on revising CCFT committees, clarifying the jurisdiction of CCFT committees to bargain with the District, and leave time for CCFT officers.

Open Article 14 (Conclusion)

We are working on clarifying language on past practice.

Open Article 7 (Evaluations)

The District will be presenting on this article for the first time in June.

Open Article 6 (Leave)

We have been working with the District to clarify and simplify our workload exchange policy.   We’re waiting for the District’s final response on this matter (see below).

What Remains to be Addressed:

Article 5 (Work Hours, Year and Workload)
Article 13 (Grievance)

We have signed Tentative Agreements (TA’S) with the District on the following:

• Article 1 (Agreement)
• Article 2 (Recognition)
• Article 3 (Academic Freedom) Includes strengthening an already strong article and adding progressive language.
• Article 6 (Part of the Article has been TA’d). The TA includes clarification and simplification regarding workload exchange.
• Article 10 (Safety)
• Article 12 (Retained Rights of the District)

Negotiations Update
March 3, 2009

March 3, 2009

Monday, February 23rd, CCFT and the District met to continue negotiations. For our next meeting of March 30th, CCFT will be presenting counter proposals to Articles 1, 9, 11 and 13. The District will be presenting counters to Articles 3, 6, 8 and 14. Both parties are very close to signing Tentative Agreements on Articles 10 and 12. There are a lot of articles being negotiated, but we are diligently moving forward.

Regarding the dental insurance issue, the negotiated fringe increase, as outlined in the 2008 Mediator’s Agreement, has been implemented. For more information please review the letter outlining the details posted to www.ccft.org. We are confident that the implementation of the dental fringe and premiums has been in accordance with the contract, including the Mediator's Agreement that was signed by last year's (2007-2008) Negotiation Team. We await new information, if any, that might have impacted the implementation of this agreement.

You can find a copy of the Mediator’s Agreement along with the CBA on our website. We are also working to correct the erroneous cover sheet that was a part of the signed agreement, and will have that correction done shortly. Regardless, the faculty are fully protected by the union and the posted contract and settlement agreement.

We have been informed by the district that, while a complaint has been aired regarding the process of the implementation of the dental fringe and premiums, no grievance has actually been filed.

Finally, discussing the dental fringe complaints with the district gave the 2008-2009 CCFT Negotiation Team an excellent opportunity to get on the same page with the district as far as who can bargain for faculty, what constitutes a grievance and the correct procedures for faculty members who want to air complaints or file grievances without the assistance of the union.

The District reaffirmed that it needs to work with CCFT as the Exclusive Bargaining Agent for faculty and not make agreements with individual faculty members, or groups of faculty members, outside of that context.

Relationships, as always, really do matter.

Please contact a member of the negotiations team directly if you have any further questions or concerns.

Thank you for your continued support.

Negotiation Team, 2008-2009
Allison Merzon, Shannon Willson (CFT), Mark Tomes and Mike Holmes

Negotiations Update
February 11, 2009

Colleagues-

Monday we met for our second full day of negotiations for spring 2009. The District presented their responses on Articles 3, 11 and 14. Most of the issues are around wording in specific areas that have no major impact on the meaning or intent of current language, and there were a few tentative agreements reached in Articles 11 and 14. Article 6, presented by CCFT on January 26, was not addressed by the District. Additionally, CCFT redressed one component of Delta Dental and we are hopeful to have a resolution to report soon.  Overall, there was sense that real progress is being made

Our next session, February 23, will address all articles on the table as well as a review of Articles 1, 10 and 12. We realize that this process is proceeding slowly, however CCFT is working diligently and cautiously on your behalf.

Rumor control:
We have been asked by a faculty member if CCFT has entered into discussions with regard to a percent pay cut to help mitigate pending budget cuts – we have not. CCFT has not participated in any pay cut discussions with the District. The current negotiation team feels very strongly that we could not enter into such discussions without an overwhelming mandate from the faculty.

Regards-
2008-2009 CCFT Negotiation Team

Negotiations Update
January 26, 2009

Colleagues