Dear Peralta Community,
Another second Tuesday, another e-Communiqué from the Peralta Federation of Teachers—enjoy!
*Don’t miss today’s PFT general membership meeting, 3-6 p.m., in Room D 200 at Laney. A ratification vote on the proposed contract extension tops the agenda—voting will be ongoing throughout the meeting—but other important items include a discussion of part-timer SDI benefits and consideration of recent PFT Executive Council motions.
*The Peralta Board of Trustees gets back to business tonight at seven at 333 E. Eighth St. Absent from the agenda: the major bargaining units’ contract extensions. (Expect them May 11.) Items that do appear on the agenda include the outgoing chancellor’s presentation of the 2009-10 budget and a move to approve Community College Search Services to head up the hunt for a new PCCD chief.
*PFT remains concerned about the terms of the ongoing employee benefits audit, and encourages folks to call CoreSource (866.434.1211) with any questions. (CoreSource is handling the audit for the district; it’s working with Kaiser and CoreSource members alike.) While PFT would argue the legality of any claims the district has made about its right to deny benefits to faculty who do not meet its deadlines, folks are nonetheless urged to get their documents in to CoreSource auditors by May 7.
*CoA DSPS coordinator Helene Maxwell, CoA student Natasha Chacon, and Laney students Ebony Miller and Suzanne Jastrumske testified before the state legislature’s Budget and Higher Education Committee in Sacramento April 21. They addressed legislators about the need to support community colleges, and made special pleas on behalf of categorical programs decimated by budget cuts. Four other faculty members and a Project Bridge student also went to Sacramento for the hearing and the final rally of the CFT March for California’s Future.
*PFT urges faculty to support a fair contract for Oakland Unified teachers. Contact OUSD superintendent Tony Smith at 510.879.8200 or tony.smith@ousd.k12.ca.us to tell him you back OEA. For information about joining Oakland teacher picket lines, call 510.763.4020 or stop by the OEA offices, 272 E. Twelfth St.
*Join campus reps Marie Wilson and Ron Jones, Wed., May 5, 12-1 p.m., in Room T 450, as Laney holds its final chapter meeting of the year. With a Cinco de Mayo lunch catered by La Estrellita, the get-together will feature discussion of the contract extension, plans for the year ahead, and conversation about faculty’s summer plans. See you there!
In unity,
Debby Weintraub, President
PFT, AFT Local 1603
Email mgoldstein@peralta.edu with items you’d like to see in the e-Communiqué. For more about the PFT—contract information, contacts, downloadable forms, updates, etc.—visit pft1603.org.