Dear CCSF Community,

On Wednesday, hundreds of CCSF students, staff, faculty, and allies came together for a day of action. At CCSF Chinatown-North Beach campus, community members highlighted the devastating impact that CCSF’s proposed layoffs and cuts would have on CCSF ESL and the San Francisco immigrant community (see coverage here). Chancellor David Martin & Vice Chancellor John al-Amin’s downsizing plan would lay off 47 English as Second Language faculty members and reduce CCSF course offerings in ESL next fall by 37%.

On Wednesday, CCSF’s faculty union AFT 2121 invited Chancellor Martin & V.C. al-Amin to have an open and robust discussion about the budget they’ve been using to justify their plan to eliminate hundreds of fully enrolled courses at City College. Chancellor Martin & V.C. al-Amin refused to show up.

We would like to thank Dr. Anoshua Chaudhuri, Chair of SFSU’s Department of Economics, for agreeing to act as a neutral moderator of the discussion and for moderating AFT 2121’s presentation of its own budget analysis. You can see AFT 2121’s Alternative Budget for CCSF here and a full recording of our Budget Forum here, where our budget team clearly explains why there is no budgetary justification for layoffs and cuts this year.

Chancellor Martin & V.C. al-Amin are refusing to engage in transparent and consistent dialogue around the budget because this would force them to show their work and justify why education is being sacrificed without a budgetary need. CCSF’s Trustees need to step up and start asking some hard questions. The ACCJC is a discredited institution–the last time it threatened CCSF, AFT 2121 sued and won.

It is high time CCSF’s Trustees start fighting for the fully funded community college San Franciscans need and deserve.

Take action:

1. Sign & share a Petition to the Trustees calling on them to reject layoffs & cuts before May 15: https://bit.ly/CCSFCommunity

2. RSVP now to be part of the ‘CCSF is the Heartbeat of San Francisco’ contingent at SF Labor Council’s May Day March down Market St Sunday, May 1st: https://bit.ly/MayDayCCSF

In solidarity,
AFT 2121

(Tues. 4/19) Delegate Assembly

All AFT 2121 members are invited to participate in your Delegate Assembly (DA) meeting next Tuesday, 4/19 from 3-5pm. 

• Agenda​
• DRAFT Minutes​

To attend this meeting, follow this link​ ​from your computer or smartphone OR call 1-669-900-6833 then follow the prompts to enter the meeting ID #810 1671 8065 and password: 783119.

(Tues 4/19) GOTV for David Campos!

CCSF Trustees: CCSF’s current budget does not mandate layoffs:
Sign and share a petition asking the trustees to show true leadership and refuse to enact these unnecessary layoffs. Ask students, workers, alumni, and community members to sign on and get involved. Like the resolution unanimously passed by the DCCC, asks trustees to commit to reject layoffs and commit to collaborating with labor, faculty, staff, students, community members, and elected leaders to create a plan to bring revenue into the College.

After signing, supporters can upload a short video to share their own CCSF experience.

Please share this widely!

Write CCSF Trustees Directly:
https://www.ccsf.edu/about-ccsf/board-trustees

AFT 2121 Budget Analysis: There is no Budget Mandate for Layoffs
AFT has an updated, more accessible budget analysis that incorporates new numbers from the district’s audit and current year spending. AFT’s budget makes necessary adjustments to prioritize student learning and ensure financial integrity. Budgets should not be manipulated to justify external agendas (e.g. downsizing). AFT’s budget includes a comparison with Chancellor Martin’s projections and budgets, along with an explanation of some of the issues in both.

AFT Alternative Budget: review & share widely.

Layoffs and Cuts

The District is still saying they will implement layoffs, but community pressure is building. We have opportunities to tell the BOT to rescind these layoffs. CFT is standing with us, providing us with organizing resources, legal support, and financial assistance.

Strike Authorization Commitment Card
The District committed last May to retroactively increase your salary should it receive new revenue this year. It has received new revenue, but it has refused to bargain in good faith. Your union is responding with Strike Authorization Commitment Cards. These cards are in preparation for a potential strike vote in which AFT 2121 members would decide whether to authorize a 1-day Unfair Labor Practice strike to demand the District bargain in good faith. Talk to your precinct rep or email adsouza@aft2121.org for more information on signing your card. And see an FAQ on this action here.

Community Petition
Tell the Trustees that our community says no to downsizing! Sign and share a petition asking the trustees to show true leadership and refuse to enact these unnecessary layoffs. Please share with colleagues, students, and friends.

AFT Alternative Budget
AFT has an updated, more accessible alternative budget that incorporates new numbers from the district’s audit and current year spending. AFT’s budget makes necessary adjustments to prioritize student learning and ensure financial integrity. Budgets should not be manipulated to justify external agendas (e.g. downsizing). AFT’s budget includes a comparison with Chancellor Martin’s projections and budgets, along with an explanation of some of the issues in both.

AFT Alternative Budget: review & share widely.

April 13, 1:30-3:00: Budget Discussion & ESL Rally
AFT 2121’s budget team will publicly challenge CCSF’s administration to explain and account for their budget, and their choice to issue layoffs in a time of budget surplus. Register here.

In addition, from 12:30-1:30pm, CCSF English as a Second Language department faculty and students will hold an action in front of the Chinatown North Beach campus (corner of Kearney and Washington) to let students, faculty, and CCSF allies share their voices over the outrage of these layoffs and the unrest it will create for student’s lives.

April 18-21 and April 26: Layoff Appeal Hearing
A hearing on individual layoff cases held by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Faculty who received pink slips will be invited to the Zoom webinar. The public is welcome to observe the hearing on YouTube. (Links to come.)

The hearing is an important tool to get some of the notices rescinded. But the law is mostly concerned with the small-scale issues of seniority and FSAs. It doesn’t recognize our most important arguments – that layoffs will damage our programs, our school, our students, and our community. That action happens with the BOT.

April 21: BOT Meeting
The BOT could rescind layoffs as early as 4/21, but they won’t have the judge’s decision at that point. They’re likely to call a special meeting instead. Either way, the 4/21 meeting would be a good time to make public comment.

More information: Please see our FAQ on the pink slip process for details and updates.

AFT 2121 & UESF Phonebank for David Campos Weds 4/6 5-8pm

This is a chance to show some union solidarity with your siblings at UESF and phonebank together for David Campos for State Assembly District 17.

Ballots have dropped for the April 19th election with a recent poll showing your endorsed candidate for assembly member, David Campos, leading, but it’s tight, so he needs your help to get out votes!

That’s why we are teaming up with our labor siblings, United Educators of San Francisco, for an educators’ phone bank on Weds 4/6 5-8pm!

RSVP at: https://bit.ly/campospb and join your fellow public educators in talking to voters about why SF needs progressive champions for public ed in Sacramento.

Can’t join your colleagues on Weds? You can rsvp at the same link to phonebank any other evening.

See you Wednesday!