Dear Adjunct Colleagues,
Here’s the latest on our collective bargaining. Our most recent bargaining session was on Friday, July 19.
Existing Contract extended to November 15
Both the Union bargaining team and the University bargaining team have agreed to extend our current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) until November 15.
Why the Contract extension?
We have held ten lengthy bargaining sessions to date and have reached tentative agreements on almost all proposals for the new contract. The main reasons for the extension are to resolve the remaining issues on how we will be compensated and severance.
Why is it taking so long to resolve these issues?
As you may recall, during the spring semester we were told by the Administration that we would have to move to an hourly rate of compensation and to log all hours worked - both class time and when performing duties related to teaching outside of class time. This hourly system was abhorrent to all our adjuncts and would have been an administrative burden for us and administration alike. It now appears that the legislative remedy we have sought is a very real possibility and would obviate the need to change to an hourly system.
What would a legislative fix mean for adjuncts?
SEIU, our union, has worked collaboratively with the Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities, the business association of all the private nonprofit colleges in the state, to write legislation and lobby in Sacramento for the passage of a bill, AB 1466, that would exempt adjunct faculty who are paid above a minimum rate from having to log hours and would thwart the lawsuits against private colleges that caused this upheaval. As a unionized school, most Dominican adjuncts are already paid above the legislative threshold, but this will push up adjunct pay at many other private colleges around the state. The bill is expected to pass and the Governor has until September 30 to sign it into law. The law would take effect on January 1, 2020. It means that our current, unit-based compensation structure, tied to a percentage of full time faculty wages, would remain in effect.
Sounds great, how did it happen so quickly?
The short answer is – your union dues! The reason the legislation moved so quickly, and will raise standards for adjuncts, is the power of our union SEIU in the State Capitol. The AICCU knew they could not get the legislature to change the labor code in a way that affected adjuncts without collaborating with our union. Adjunct leaders from all seven schools represented by SEIU Local 1021 met to give feedback and define goals for the SEIU lobbying agenda on higher ed. So, if you did not like the idea of logging hours or of your teaching being counted differently than that of your full time colleagues, please make sure that you are a full member of our union:
https://memberlink.seiu1021.org/SEIU1021MemberApplicationStep1.aspx
What about Severance?
We remain committed to securing some severance pay for adjuncts who lose units due to curricular restructuring. We are negotiating a severance formula based on the number of units an Adjunct has taught at Dominican and the proportion of the loss of units to that adjunct’s total teaching load. The severance issue has been a challenging one to bargain for, but the Union team is firm in wanting a fair severance agreement.
What can I do to help ensure a successful settlement of our contract?
Dan Carraher – [email protected]
Robin McCloskey – [email protected]
Sister Aaron Winkelman – [email protected]
Nato Green, SEIU Local 1021 Campaign Coordinator – [email protected]
Diego Santelices – [email protected]
Here’s the latest on our collective bargaining. Our most recent bargaining session was on Friday, July 19.
Existing Contract extended to November 15
Both the Union bargaining team and the University bargaining team have agreed to extend our current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) until November 15.
Why the Contract extension?
We have held ten lengthy bargaining sessions to date and have reached tentative agreements on almost all proposals for the new contract. The main reasons for the extension are to resolve the remaining issues on how we will be compensated and severance.
Why is it taking so long to resolve these issues?
As you may recall, during the spring semester we were told by the Administration that we would have to move to an hourly rate of compensation and to log all hours worked - both class time and when performing duties related to teaching outside of class time. This hourly system was abhorrent to all our adjuncts and would have been an administrative burden for us and administration alike. It now appears that the legislative remedy we have sought is a very real possibility and would obviate the need to change to an hourly system.
What would a legislative fix mean for adjuncts?
SEIU, our union, has worked collaboratively with the Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities, the business association of all the private nonprofit colleges in the state, to write legislation and lobby in Sacramento for the passage of a bill, AB 1466, that would exempt adjunct faculty who are paid above a minimum rate from having to log hours and would thwart the lawsuits against private colleges that caused this upheaval. As a unionized school, most Dominican adjuncts are already paid above the legislative threshold, but this will push up adjunct pay at many other private colleges around the state. The bill is expected to pass and the Governor has until September 30 to sign it into law. The law would take effect on January 1, 2020. It means that our current, unit-based compensation structure, tied to a percentage of full time faculty wages, would remain in effect.
Sounds great, how did it happen so quickly?
The short answer is – your union dues! The reason the legislation moved so quickly, and will raise standards for adjuncts, is the power of our union SEIU in the State Capitol. The AICCU knew they could not get the legislature to change the labor code in a way that affected adjuncts without collaborating with our union. Adjunct leaders from all seven schools represented by SEIU Local 1021 met to give feedback and define goals for the SEIU lobbying agenda on higher ed. So, if you did not like the idea of logging hours or of your teaching being counted differently than that of your full time colleagues, please make sure that you are a full member of our union:
https://memberlink.seiu1021.org/SEIU1021MemberApplicationStep1.aspx
What about Severance?
We remain committed to securing some severance pay for adjuncts who lose units due to curricular restructuring. We are negotiating a severance formula based on the number of units an Adjunct has taught at Dominican and the proportion of the loss of units to that adjunct’s total teaching load. The severance issue has been a challenging one to bargain for, but the Union team is firm in wanting a fair severance agreement.
What can I do to help ensure a successful settlement of our contract?
- Keep in touch with your bargaining team and your fellow adjuncts. Reply All to this message with questions and comments. Longer comments can be written on our blog. Call and check in with fellow adjuncts in your department to make sure they are aware and engaged.
- Attend a General Membership meeting in early October. By then we will know more about the passage of AB 1466.
- Are you losing some or all of your classes? How are these losses impacting you and your family? We need your stories! We want to hear from you! If you would prefer to contact us privately, please email any of us - addresses below.
- Be willing and ready to show united support of your Union bargaining team, especially regarding compensation by units rather than hours and fair severance for those losing units and classes.
- Membership, membership, membership! Only full members will be able to vote to ratify the contract.
https://memberlink.seiu1021.org/SEIU1021MemberApplicationStep1.aspx
Dan Carraher – [email protected]
Robin McCloskey – [email protected]
Sister Aaron Winkelman – [email protected]
Nato Green, SEIU Local 1021 Campaign Coordinator – [email protected]
Diego Santelices – [email protected]