Dear Peralta Community,
Welcome to the first second Tuesday of the 2010-11 academic year and PFT’s leadoff e-Communiqué. Email PFT Communications Director Matthew Goldstein (mgoldstein@peralta.edu) with events, items, etc., you’d like to see in this space.
*The Peralta Board of Trustees convenes tonight at 6:30 at 333 E. Eighth St. in the district boardroom for an unusual half-hour meeting. Trustees are set to vote on expanding the Chancellor Selection Committee from 11 to 13 members, a change that would violate Board Policy 1.20. The board is cutting short its public meeting to hold a “Board of Trustee Special Training Workshop” on how to respond to last summer’s highly critical accreditation report, which recommended trustees “adhere to their appropriate roles” and undergo “ongoing and annual training . . . on roles and functions as it relates [sic] to District policy and operations.” SEIU and the DAS have joined PFT in asking the board to reconsider the item on the Chancellor Selection Committee.
*As reported over the summer, PFT won its dispute with the district over parity pay. Eligible faculty should now be getting their checks—smaller, sadly, than some may have expected. The cut came from the state, not the district: Peralta, pushed by PFT to honor our contract, passed along parity money directly; the district got half its 2009 amount, and this year’s distributions are likewise 50% lighter.
*Last week the district rejected a straightforward—and virtually cost-free—PFT proposal to start SDI deductions, disability insurance payments part-time faculty overwhelmingly voted for last spring. The district has put up several arcane roadblocks to completing the simple agreement. As a result, nothing’s likely to get done before spring 2011. PFT is pushing for a swift resolution.
*Part-timers wanting to take advantage of the district healthcare plan need to enroll by Fri., Sep. 17, to be eligible for 2010-11 coverage. If you have not received the forms by mail, download them at http://www.peralta.pswbenefits.net/.
*PFT’s political action committee (PAC) endorsed Linda Handy, Area 3, and Bill Riley, Area 5, in the fall PCCD board elections after the two incumbents agreed to keep supporting current faculty benefit packages. President Abel Guillén, unanimously endorsed by PFT PAC in spring, is running unopposed and won’t appear on the Nov. 2 ballot. PFT PAC looks forward to strengthening its relationships with the trustees, and will push them hard in the months and years ahead to get the district back on track (see the first item, above).
*Meetings focusing on part-time issues are set for 12-1 p.m. on three consecutive Wednesdays: Sep. 15 at CoA in C 210; Sep. 22 at BCC in 451A; and Sep. 29 at Merritt in R 127. Contact PFT part-time rep Cynthia Mahabir at cmlaney2003@yahoo.com for more information.
In unity,
Debby Weintraub, President
Peralta Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1603
For more about the PFT—contract information, contacts, downloadable forms, updates, etc.—visit pft1603.org or write PFT1603info@gmail.com.