Two weeks ago, on March 15, over 500 CCSF students, faculty, staff, and community members participated in a day of action to defend CCSF. The events were covered on KQED, KPFA, and in the Examiner, 48 Hills, and Sing Tao Daily.

We have our allies to thank for making March 15 happen: CCSF Associated Students, SEIU 1021, the California Federation of Teachers, San Francisco Supervisor Mar’s Office, the USF Part Time Faculty Association, SF Rising, Jobs with Justice, AFT 6157, PFT 1603, Chinese for Affirmative Action, & UESF.

Now is the moment to take your fight to the next level. CCSF is a majority student of color pillar of San Francisco, and, as educators, librarians, and counselors, we will continue taking collective action to defend our students. You and your union will be fighting the threat of further downsizing in four key ways: 1. Organizing, 2. Lobbying, 3. Communications & Press, & 4. Legal.

Last Wednesday, your lobbying efforts resulted in the SF Democratic Party unanimously passing a resolution (see item 13 here) urging the Trustees to stop the downsizing of CCSF and to fight for full funding instead.

Next steps:

1. AFT 2121 will be distributing strike commitment cards to all faculty starting Monday, April 4th. Every precinct representative will receive one and be responsible for organizing a supermajority of their colleagues to sign them. It’s time to show the Trustees that you’re willing to strike to defend your students, your college, & your community.

2. Register now for a Budget Forum on Wednesday April, 13, from 1:30-3pm on Zoom. AFT 2121’s budget team will be publicly challenging CCSF’s administration to explain and account for their budget: https://aft.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ynv7utRWTKK8bhs2WTAkP

The Sacramento City Teachers Association (SCTA) & SEIU 1021, representing teachers & classified staff in Sacramento schools, are in their 3rd day of a strike for adequate staffing and a fair contract. Thousands of teachers, staff, and community members have been on the picket lines with the rallying cry, “Students, we’ve got your back!” In the words of SCTA President David Fisher, “Ironically we are walking out to make sure every student has a teacher in the classroom.”

Despite a budget surplus, the district has refused to budge, invoking a short sighted and frankly anti-student austerity logic that should be familiar to AFT 2121 members. Solidarity to our labor allies as they stand up for the students and workers of Sacramento. See background on their struggle in the Sacramento Bee and get live updates on SCTA & SEIU 1021‘s Twitter. And text “Sac City” to 48744 to learn how you can support them.

Your organizing and your advocacy are being heard–you are making progress in placing political pressure on the Board of Trustees to step up and stop the downsizing of CCSF. Now is the time to get even more engaged & increase that pressure.

At your Committee on Political Education (COPE) meeting tomorrow Tuesday 3/22 from 1:30pm to 3pm, your political director Adele Failes-Carpenter will be leading a discussion of important upcoming political work. This will include preparing for a meeting of the San Francisco Democratic Party Central Committee (DCCC) this Wednesday 3/23 at 6:30pm, at which the DCCC will be considering a resolution opposing the downsizing of CCSF and urging CCSF’s elected Trustees to step up and stop it.

At COPE tomorrow, you will also be discussing related outreach to other local Democratic clubs. The Trustees will depend on these groups for endorsements in their future political campaigns, so it’s essential that you engage these groups in the fight to defend and grow your college.

So participate in COPE tmrw, & learn more about the resolution at the DCCC meeting Wednesday:

1. Participate in your Committee on Political Education meeting  Tuesday 3/22 from 1:30pm to 3pm on Zoom, & learn more about giving public comment at the DCCC meeting Wednesday
   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81016718065
   Meeting ID: 810 1671 8065
   One tap mobile
   +16699006833,,81016718065# US (San Jose)
   
   

2. Attend the SF Democratic Party meeting Weds 3/23 at 6:30pm
   Register for the zoom meeting here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QicS6Jc-TTqEtjm4KAOnAw
   
   The resolution is item 13. You can view the agenda and resolution here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c73920c9d41495645130c78/t/622eb59272f7cb0067e467b4/1647228306564/032322+DCCC+10+Day+Notice.pdf

Nomination deadline this Friday, March 18 for your AFT 2121 Leadership Elections

It’s time to participate in your union elections. The election will be held April 18-29. The votes will be tallied electronically. Please be sure that our union has your current email address.

Nominate yourself or a colleague. Serving as a precinct rep or officer is a tremendous way to help build the voice and power of our union. Deadline for nomination forms is Friday March 18. Nominations may also be made at the General Membership Meeting on March 22, 3-5pm, held remotely. To make a nomination:

1. Consult the list of eligible members by last name or the list of eligible members by precinct number and find out who is eligible to run for leadership. Dues-paying union members in good standing are eligible for nomination (with the exception of department chairs/managers for any positions other than Labor Council Delegate).

   • There is a separate list of AFT 2121 members eligible to run for affiliation positions including Labor Council and AFT Delegate, which includes Department Chairs.

   • If you believe that your name has been omitted from any of these lists in error, please contact AFT 2121 at aft@aft2121.org.

   • Complete the Nomination Form for Officers, Executive Board, AFT Delegate & Labor Council Delegate
     AND/OR
     Complete the Precinct Rep Nomination Form

2. This election cycle we also elect delegates for the San Francisco Labor Council and for the AFT National Convention (to be held July 14-17 in Boston). AFT 2121 usually is able to pay the travel costs of some delegates but not all. Nominations are accepted either through this nomination form or from the floor during the General Membership Meeting on March 22, held remotely from 3-5pm.

You will find full election information, including additional election forms and an election calendar at: www.aft2121.org/elections

AFT 2121 Retiree Chapter honored by CFT for AFT 2121 50th Anniversary Oral History Project

By Bill Shields

Janitors organize live onstage, in multiple languages. A domestic worker ponders the meaning of life as she mimes ironing clothes. Dancing hotel workers tell how they won a good contract. These stories emerged from an oral history project called Work Tales produced by the Labor and Community Studies Department at City College of San Francisco. I spent 25 years teaching in this department. Read more…

AFT 2121 Retired Faculty Andy Chan wrote this song about stopping the layoff threat.

Everything old is new again: Vurdien still works for the District

Last May, faculty voted to take massive one-year pay cuts to save our programs. Immediately afterward, then-chancellor Rajen Vurdien proposed raising his own salary by 23%. Facing the prospects of massive protest and terrible press, our board of trustees pulled the proposal, and Vurdien left the college.

Or so it seemed. It turns out that our board has continued to employ Vurdien as an advisor. Here is his contract with the college from 11/1/21 to 6/20/22. Each month he is paid $2,500 for 10 hours of work, with the option to make extra money for additional hours. The total contract is for $25,000. This is the man who pursued a raise for himself while saying the school should “learn to live within its means”, and discussed shrinking City College to 180 full-time faculty. Compare that to the 487 FT faculty working right now to get a sense of the scale of downsizing he was contemplating.

We call on our elected board of trustees to immediately terminate this contract. We understand that $25,000 is not much compared to the overall college budget. Yet it represents easily two or three classes this semester. It is shameful to direct that money to a man who took his direction from the state instead of the community, and has clearly stated his position that our college should shrink.

Here is the text of the contract, with the signatures removed:

AFT National Disaster Relief Fund

The AFT Disaster Relief Fund is used throughout the year to provide support to members and communities directly impacted by a natural or man-made disaster. In the past this has included losses from hurricanes, wildfires flooding and earthquakes.

The fund is now coordinating with the teachers unions in countries that border Ukraine, including Poland, Romania and Slovakia. They’re setting up welcome programs in public schools for children fleeing the war in Ukraine. Teachers and school staff just want to help these kids feel safe and welcome.

Every dollar that we raise goes straight to relief efforts, without AFT taking any overhead fees. Any money you can give today to the relief effort will directly help efforts to support the refugees.

Please click: https://www.aft.org/disaster-relief-fund

Nomination deadline this Friday, March 18 for your AFT 2121 Leadership Elections

It’s time to participate in your union elections. The election will be held April 18-29. The votes will be tallied electronically. Please be sure that our union has your current email address.

Nominate yourself or a colleague. Serving as a precinct rep or officer is a tremendous way to help build the voice and power of our union. Deadline for nomination forms is Friday March 18. Nominations may also be made at the General Membership Meeting on March 22, 3-5pm, held remotely. To make a nomination:

1. Consult the list of eligible members by last name or the list of eligible members by precinct number and find out who is eligible to run for leadership. Dues-paying union members in good standing are eligible for nomination (with the exception of department chairs/managers for any positions other than Labor Council Delegate).

   • There is a separate list of AFT 2121 members eligible to run for affiliation positions including Labor Council and AFT Delegate, which includes Department Chairs.

   • If you believe that your name has been omitted from any of these lists in error, please contact AFT 2121 at aft@aft2121.org.

   • Complete the Nomination Form for Officers, Executive Board, AFT Delegate & Labor Council Delegate
     AND/OR
     Complete the Precinct Rep Nomination Form

2. This election cycle we also elect delegates for the San Francisco Labor Council and for the AFT National Convention (to be held July 14-17 in Boston). AFT 2121 usually is able to pay the travel costs of some delegates but not all. Nominations are accepted either through this nomination form or from the floor during the General Membership Meeting on March 22, held remotely from 3-5pm.

You will find full election information, including additional election forms and an election calendar at: www.aft2121.org/elections

AFT 2121 Retiree Chapter honored by CFT for AFT 2121 50th Anniversary Oral History Project

By Bill Shields

Janitors organize live onstage, in multiple languages. A domestic worker ponders the meaning of life as she mimes ironing clothes. Dancing hotel workers tell how they won a good contract. These stories emerged from an oral history project called Work Tales produced by the Labor and Community Studies Department at City College of San Francisco. I spent 25 years teaching in this department. Read more…

AFT 2121 Retired Faculty Andy Chan wrote this song about stopping the layoff threat.

Everything old is new again: Vurdien still works for the District

Last May, faculty voted to take massive one-year pay cuts to save our programs. Immediately afterward, then-chancellor Rajen Vurdien proposed raising his own salary by 23%. Facing the prospects of massive protest and terrible press, our board of trustees pulled the proposal, and Vurdien left the college.

Or so it seemed. It turns out that our board has continued to employ Vurdien as an advisor. Here is his contract with the college from 11/1/21 to 6/20/22. Each month he is paid $2,500 for 10 hours of work, with the option to make extra money for additional hours. The total contract is for $25,000. This is the man who pursued a raise for himself while saying the school should “learn to live within its means”, and discussed shrinking City College to 180 full-time faculty. Compare that to the 487 FT faculty working right now to get a sense of the scale of downsizing he was contemplating.

We call on our elected board of trustees to immediately terminate this contract. We understand that $25,000 is not much compared to the overall college budget. Yet it represents easily two or three classes this semester. It is shameful to direct that money to a man who took his direction from the state instead of the community, and has clearly stated his position that our college should shrink.

Here is the text of the contract, with the signatures removed:

AFT National Disaster Relief Fund

The AFT Disaster Relief Fund is used throughout the year to provide support to members and communities directly impacted by a natural or man-made disaster. In the past this has included losses from hurricanes, wildfires flooding and earthquakes.

The fund is now coordinating with the teachers unions in countries that border Ukraine, including Poland, Romania and Slovakia. They’re setting up welcome programs in public schools for children fleeing the war in Ukraine. Teachers and school staff just want to help these kids feel safe and welcome.

Every dollar that we raise goes straight to relief efforts, without AFT taking any overhead fees. Any money you can give today to the relief effort will directly help efforts to support the refugees.

Please click: https://www.aft.org/disaster-relief-fund

Today, the District issued layoff notices to 58 full-time faculty. The board of trustees approved 50 notices, but David Martin issued 58. You can see the list on our FAQ. Their excuse for this is that some faculty will “bump” into other departments, so extra layoff notices are needed to make sure the District is really getting rid of people.

This is an unwarranted attack on our community. The real long term solution to the under-funding of CCSF is more support, not downsizing. We reject the austerity logic driving this decision, and demand that the Trustees step up in defense of our students, our faculty, and our community.

Our hearts break for the full-time faculty who are receiving this news, and the part-time faculty who fear the consequences for their jobs. We recognize the stress and pain this causes, and the fear and anxiety this gives your students, your families, and your communities. We see you. We hear you. And we will fight together to stop this.

These layoff notices do not necessarily mean an actual layoff. We still have time to fight. If you receive a notice, you have the right to request an appeal. The notice you receive should include instructions to request a hearing. Please see our FAQ about this process, and join your colleagues, students, and community in taking action this Tuesday.

RSVP now (https://bit.ly/RSVPMarch15CCSF) for a CCSF Day of Action on Tuesday, March 15:

1. 11:00-12:00 In-Person Action in front of Conlan Hall, Ocean Campus
2. 12:00 -1:00 Virtual Press Conference on Zoom: https://bit.ly/March15CCSF

Share the flyer: https://bit.ly/3HTb76G
Join a phonebank to bring your colleagues to the action.

Other important information: Keep your eyes on the department budgets. If FTE is there for assignments, you will not be laid off, even if you receive a pink slip. That’s true for part-timers as well as full-timers. However, administration could still change the available FTE. Having an assignment now doesn’t guarantee you will have one in the fall. FTE can be added as well as reduced, so we can organize to save classes and programs.

These layoffs were planned with the explicit intention of backfilling those positions with part-time faculty. That’s why David was able to go to the board and say that the cuts wouldn’t devastate the departments. But now things have changed. David (although not everyone in his administration) has acknowledged that he cannot legally assign part-timers, and he cannot convert FT faculty to PT. That means the impact on departments and programs will be dramatic – they would have to get rid of the part-time faculty in those departments. When we spoke to David on Wednesday, he acknowledged this reality, but made it clear that it would not change his layoff plans.

It’s hard to get our heads around the serious threat our college is facing. These cuts would close hundreds of fully enrolled classes and devastate student services. I’d like to provide a window into one specific department for today: Counseling. I hope to write about other departments over the next few weeks. Hopefully, this will help us think about the specific impacts to the real people involved. Please keep reading for one window into the threat we’re facing.

In unity,
Malaika Finkelstein

Focus on Counseling

The board of trustees voted to send nine layoff notices to full-time Counseling faculty. The following information was compiled based on that. But the District actually issued ten, making the threat even worse.

On Wednesday 3/9, counselors made a presentation to the Academic Senate. They explained that 88% of the counselors laid off under this plan would be people of color. They also presented the following slide, summarizing the impacts on students of nine layoffs in New Student Counseling and Continuing Student Counseling. They include only reductions in FT faculty, because all counselors in New and Continuing Counseling are full-time. The part-timers were laid off a few years ago.

In addition to the ten notices issued in New and Continuing Counseling, the District issued three more, two in EOPS and one in DSPS. The idea is that counselors will bump into those specialities. These additional layoffs, if implemented, would ensure that a full-timer actually gets laid off rather than just moved. This is especially egregious in DSPS, where the department is currently understaffed and has just completed interviews for two full-time counseling positions. This makes it clear, once again, that the goal is not to grow or even maintain current levels of serving students, but to shrink.

Next up: Focus on Business