JULY 2021, TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

July 2021, Tentative Agreement

Written by Laura Plunkett

Each contract article can be read in its entirety here: www.aft6554.org

5% raise for all faculty effective the first pay period of the Fall 2021
5% raise for all faculty effective the first pay period of the Fall 2022
Associate Faculty parity will be increased from 78% to 79% effective the Fall 2021 semester and increased from 79% to 80% effective the Fall 2022
Class cancellation compensation – effective Spring 2022, an Associate Faculty who has their class cancelled less than 5 business days before the class starts and is not provided an amended contract with an equivalent load shall be paid for 1/16 of load lost.
Associate Faculty Flex pay – increase from 3 hours to 6 hours each semester at C8 rate.
Mileage Reimbursement – Faculty can now be reimbursed for travel expenses between campuses and to/from off-campus work sites.

Full Time Faculty – Medical Benefits cap increased from $11,741 to $12,480 for single coverage, $22,072 to $23,580 for 2‐party coverage, and $28,270 to $30,240 for 3 or more coverage, effective January 2022.
Full Time Faculty – Any faculty member waiving District benefits shall be paid $4,800
Associate Faculty – funding for the health care reimbursement program was increased from $135,000 to $160,000 per semester, associate member reimbursement increased from $2,000 to $2,700 per semester.
Associate Faculty – Effective Spring 2022, the District shall provide to associate faculty who work 60% load in the previous semester 100% of the lowest cost medical plan at the employee-only level for a six month period.

Job Descriptions – new job descriptions will be added for Instructional Designer, Articulation Officer and Coach, to be finalized Fall 2021.
Mirroring – new language that will pay faculty the higher load for mirrored credit/non-credit classes.
Involuntary Underloads – strikes inoperable provisions to prevent wage garnishment for underloads.
English class caps remain at 25.
Load Base Changes – will be reopened for negotiations in Spring 2022.
Assignments –underloaded full timers who have FSA in a secondary department are included in the order of assignment; clarified flexiload definition and process; partial acceptance of assignments for part timers no longer requires Dean approval; expanded list of compelling reasons for declining assignments for associate faculty.
Language cleanups and updates throughout articles.

Advisory Arbitration – new step added to the process where a neutral 3rd party can be called upon to provide opinion on grievance. Grievance process now includes the right to grieve incompliance of District’s administrative procedures.
Progressive discipline – addition of ed code language which clarifies maximum duration of Paid Administrative Leave investigations; added criteria for what constitutes oral warning and formal discipline.

Appendix B – Full-time faculty working an overload will have the step on the Assoc. Salary Schedule that corresponds to their step on the FT Salary Schedule unless their Assoc. step is higher than their FT step.
Appendix BB – Aligned with Appendix B such that work/teaching experience is credited in the same manner as the process used for FT faculty. Removed restriction that only counted work/teaching experience earned in the last ten years. Codified other language ensuring that retirees retain their column/step placement if they return to teach. Codified that an interruption in employment will not cause an associate to lose steps.

Article 8 Union Rights – updated amount of load union can purchase from District.
Article 16 Calendar – updated calendars to be provided to District.
Article 21 Institutional Responsibilities – updated language, no material change.
Article 35 Conference Leave– updated to include reimbursement for classes and other activities in addition to conferences; updated to include roll over of funds for approved activities that extend into next fiscal year; legacy funds will be swept in 2022 instead of 2021.
Article 38 Sabbatical Leave – updated language, committee composition to include appointment by Academic Senate. Sabbatical Committee now may request clarification on an application thus giving applicants another chance without waiting an entire year.
Article 44 Professional Growth and Development – updated language and timelines.
Article 49 Duration – 3 year contract term expiring June 30, 2024. Spring 2022 reopener for Load Base Changes (Article 17) and Appraisals (Article 24 and 108). Spring 2023 reopener for compensation and benefits and any other articles mutually agreed upon.