FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, August 5, 2013

As City College of San Francisco works its way through its accreditation crisis, faculty have been working without a contract since January 1. After many long months of trying to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the college administration, the San Francisco Community College Federation of Teachers, AFT 2121, is going back to the table for two all-day sessions.

Its goal is to arrive at a fair contract for the 1650 instructors who educate CCSF’s 85,000 students.

To help CCSF faculty better understand the positions taken by the CCSF administration, the two negotiations teams will open up the collective bargaining sessions scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week at the Gough Street campus to dozens of faculty observers each day.

The sticking point in negotiations has been over what issues should be prioritized. District revenues have been restored to pre-recession levels. Yet, in spite of available funds, adequate reserves, and four years of faculty financial sacrifices totaling more than seven million dollars just last year, the district is still insisting on a pay cut that takes faculty 5% below wage levels from 2007.

“All of us are committed to strengthening the College and maintaining its accreditation,” said Alisa Messer, an English instructor and AFT 2121 president. “In negotiations, we will do our best to implement the will of San Francisco’s voters and realign the college’s financial priorities toward educational quality, as mandated by Proposition A.”

“The college is in a much stronger financial position than it was before the passage of Prop A and Prop 30,” said Messer. “It is time to restore pay cuts and retain the best faculty for our students.”

Messer predicted that, “The faculty negotiating team intends to approach these sessions with the best interests of the students, the faculty, and the entire City College community in mind. We are hoping the administration will do the same.”

For more information, www.aft2121.org