I just posted this to the AFT Guild Google Group, addressed to Ian Duckles with the request that he share this with the other members of the Negotiating Committee.
Equal Protection for Adjuncts under the Contract
Our legal system is built on one basic concept: Equal Protection under the law. I ask the Negotiating Committee that the same concept of Equal Protection be applied by our union, AFT Guild, in our contract specifically when it comes to Adjuncts.
1. Under ARTICLE V – ADJUNCT FACULTY
a. Add to clause 5.2.10 Termination: “To prevent discrimination against Adjuncts, the above rules shall not be more strongly enforced for any Adjunct than they are for Contract Faculty in the same Department and / or School.
b. Add to clause 5.2.8 Grievability: “A log is to be maintained in the AFT Guild office of all people contacting the union about issues that might or might not end up as a grievance.”
2. Under ARTICLE IV – GRIEVANCE
a. Add to clause 4.4.9 (right to be accompanied by an AFT representative) “The AFT Guild representative attending the meeting with the grievant and their dean / department chair, shall not be a faculty member reporting to the same dean and/or department chair, unless requested by the grievant.”
3. Under ARTICLE VIII – SALARY
Amend clause B/C 11.0 COMPENSATION FOR PART-TIME FACULTY SHARED GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WORK. As it is written, compensations could be approved or denied based on personal whim of the Dean or Academic Senate President.
Instead, the wording should be: “Part-time faculty who perform shared governance committee service shall be compensated for such service at a rate equal to their non-classroom hourly rate of pay for all hours served, including time spent attending required meetings. Hours must be submitted electronically through the appropriate dean’s office in accordance with the district monthly payroll timeline.”
Why are these necessary? I am only offering one example for each situation with the understanding that there may be more.
Was an Adjunct punished for something that was not punishable if she had been a Contract Faculty? An Adjunct was denied future classes, being told it was because she was a day late turning in her grades. People working in the Records section of the school stated that hundreds of Contract faculty are late every year. Furthermore, I direct you to this proposed change in the contract as it pertains to Contract Faculty:
6.13 Faculty who fail to submit their grades by the appropriate deadline each semester shall have their subsequent pay warrants withheld until such delinquent grades are submitted.
On the other hand, look at clause 5.2.10.2 as it pertains to Adjunct Faculty:
Adjunct faculty members who have qualified for priority of assignment rights within a specific discipline within a college, may have their assignment terminated at any time as a result of reasons which are delineated in the California Government Code, Education Code, Penal Code, District Policies and Procedures, and District Human Resources Manual. The reason(s) shall be provided in writing. Termination per this Section of the Article shall not be grievable.
Logs are standard business procedures. In the case of AFT Guild, we are depending on the memory of one person basically, President Jim Mahler, to know if anyone else has ever had a problem with the same issue. That information can make a difference in how a complaint / grievance is handled.
If an Adjunct has to meet with their supervisor, it is common union practice that they have the right to have a union representative with them. In SDCCD, we have a unique environment where the union’s Part Time Campus Rep might be someone reporting to the same Chair or Dean. Obviously they are going to be reticent. Will they be willing to endanger their own professional career by speaking up and fighting for the Adjunct?
Compensation for Shared Governance: This decision or approval isn’t required for Contract Faculty. If they are elected to the Academic Senate for example, the Contract Faculty representative is compensated for their hours. Here is the my proposed wording:
B/C 11.0 COMPENSATION FOR PART-TIME FACULTY SHARED GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WORK “Part-time faculty who perform shared governance committee service shall be compensated for such service at a rate equal to their non-classroom hourly rate of pay for all hours served, including time spent attending required meetings. Hours must be submitted electronically through the appropriate dean’s office in accordance with the district monthly payroll timeline.”
Compensation for Part-Time Faculty Shared Governance is much appreciated but as it is written in the proposed contract, it could be applied based on personal whim. For example, for the sake of illustration, would it make sense that Adjunct Office Hours are paid at Campus A and Campus B but not at Campus C because the person whose approval is required doesn’t believe it is necessary?