Bargaining update: Progress on cuts!

This has been quite a week! The District started cutting classes on Monday. On Tuesday, we sent a cease-and-desist letter, and a demand to bargain over the impacts to our faculty. On Wednesday, we held a town hall for part-timers who are laid off or at risk, and also sat down with the District for impact bargaining.

During our town hall a few faculty shared poignant and powerful stories about the impacts the current crisis is having on them and their students. We were able to have two faculty share their stories at yesterday’s bargaining session by inviting them as guest speakers, reminding the administration that these impacts are real and must be taken seriously.

As a result of our efforts, class cuts are on pause now! This affords our students more time to enroll, and we now have a chance to bargain and protect some students and part-time faculty. We won’t be able to save every class. But we have a chance to save some.

Check out our new impacts bargaining update video for more detail.

What’s next?

We need to confront the impacts of COVID on classes as the district tries to take advantage of a pandemic to cut classes and cut medical benefits from part time faculty. 

1. Send messages to the chancellor and trustees and focus on two things:
   1. Our students need support and stability during this crisis. We are asking the district to give students time to enroll before making a unilateral decision to cut classes.
   2. While a deadly virus ravages our nation, this is NOT the time to take healthcare from part time faculty!
2. Please sign on to our open letter to the Chancellor and Trustees calling for classes to be allowed to run in support of our already struggling students. Or send a message with your own story about how these COVID related cuts are affecting you and your students.
3. Help us raise up your stories by sending a short video! Tell us who your students are and how they’re impacted by these cuts. Send it to aft@aft2121.org