From: Jim Mahler <aftjim@mac.com>
Date: Mon, Oct 19, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Subject: AFT/SDCCD Faculty 10-19-26 Negotiations Update – Fully Covered Healthcare Increases, Fully Paid Parental Leave
To:
Dear SDCCD AFT Guild Member Chairs, Liaisons, and Coordinator/Directors,
***Please forward this message on to the faculty in your department.***
Although negotiations for our full successor comprehensive contract continue to drag on due to the complexity and costliness of our proposal, in the interim, we’ve won two huge victories for our faculty, both effective January 1, 2027 (pending ratification):
• $0 increase in your healthcare premiums! We were successful in getting the District to cover 100% of the increases for all plans. (please see first attached pdf)
• A full year of paid parental leave for both parents! Fully paid and doesn’t utilize any of your accrued sick leave.
Here are the details:
Healthcare Premium Coverage
Healthcare costs continue to rise faster than the COLAs provided to us from the State, and this year is no different. Even with a generous statewide COLA for this year, healthcare premiums will increase approximately 8% effective January 1st, 2027. Individual premium rates are increasing from 5-12%, representing an increase of anywhere from $50 to $353/month depending on which plan you are enrolled in. We have successfully been able to negotiate that the District cover 100% of these premium increases, ensuring that you will have no increased out of pocket cost when these rates take effect January 1st, 2027. That equates to a potential savings of $600-$4,236 per year for our members. This alone is a major win for our members and their families!
One Year, Fully Paid, Extended Parental Leave
Effective January 1st, 2027, both parents will be eligible to take a full year off, with pay, as a result of the birth of their child or adoption of a child under the age of 5. This leave will not come out of your sick leave–this leave will be fully paid by the District! Unit members must have worked for the District in the classified service or in an academic capacity for a minimum of twelve (12) months prior to the beginning of the leave to be eligible. No other requirements need to be met. This leave will run concurrently with other statutory leaves such as CFRA/FMLA/PDL and existing Parental Leave (Current Contract Articles 11.4-11.6). Unfortunately, this leave is not retroactive.
Please see the second attached pdf for the full details of this settlement.
I hope you will agree with me and your AFT Guild Executive Council members that fully covered healthcare and extended paid parental leave is an impressive package for our members and their families. This agreement sets a new standard for family leave benefits and healthcare coverage everywhere. We are now the Sweden of community colleges!
I also want to fully acknowledge our Chancellor, Greg Smith, the Board of Trustees, Vice-Chancellor Burns, and Associate Vice-Chancellor Wilker for their leadership and commitment to achieving these extraordinary gains for our members!
Please keep your eye out for ratification ballots coming from Election Buddy by the middle of this week.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or any of our AFT Guild Executive Council members if you have any questions regarding any of the foregoing.
In Solidarity,
Jim
Jim Mahler, President
AFT Guild, Local 1931