Dear SDCCD Classified Professionals,
I am pleased to report that after approximately seven months of Zoom based negotiations, we have reached agreement with the District on all terms and conditions for a successor agreement to our contract which expired on June 30th!
Given the current economic situation we find ourselves in due to a severe shortage of funding from the State, coupled with the District’s own financial difficulties, we were not able to make much progress in economic areas of improvement, but were able to secure several noteworthy gains nonetheless, including: the contractual right to be able to work from home (with supervisor approval), a guarantee of lactation rooms at all sites, assurance of no loss of salary due to campus closures which are beyond the control of the District, and a strengthening of the language around forced vacation leaves when excess accrual occurs.
One significant economic item that we were able to secure now was a guarantee that the District will fully cover the cost of the approximately 6% increase in Kaiser medical premiums which will be taking effect January 1, 2021, thus providing all employees with at least one fully funded healthcare option.
In addition, we have an agreement with the District to implement several lesser economic items at such time that resources can be identified to fund them. These include: unification of overtime, comp. time, and shift differential calculations across all job classifications, minimum of 10% salary increase upon promotion for all job classifications, District to cover the cost of work boots and safety glasses required for work outside of VSP benefit limits for all job classifications, and an increase in the vacation accrual to 16 days/year for 0-4 years of employment and 19 days/year for 5-10 years of employment. These changes will be implemented and added to our contract as soon as the time comes in the future where there are new resources identified to cover the cost of these improvements.
Attached please find three documents:
1) Summary of Changes to our new Contract
2) Sideletter which delineates the economic items which will become effective and included in our contract once resources are identified;
3) The October 22 Classified CBA with all changes highlighted in green in underline (new added language) and strikeout (language being removed) format.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our AFT Guild classified professional negotiating team members for their time, input, participation, and guidance throughout this process: Ana Fuentes, Clarissa Padilla, LaKeita Platts, Yvonne Schmeltz, Danielle Short, Robin Watkins, and Carlota Vidrio. Their participation was invaluable in enabling us to reach this settlement with the District.
We have scheduled three open Q&A forums for all Guild members to discuss the changes in this new contract for Wednesday, Oct 28th, from 3:30-4:30 PM, Thursday, Oct 29th, from 1:00-2:00 PM, and Friday, Oct 30th, from 2:00-3:00 PM (see Zoom connection details below). At the conclusion of these forums, all AFT Guild members will be emailed an electronic election ballot that will allow you to vote to ratify or reject this new contract. You will receive this ballot at the same sdccd.edu email address at which you received this message.
We feel that given the current economic climate this is indeed an outstanding package of benefits for our members and represents some significant improvements to our working conditions. For that reason, your AFT Guild Executive Council officers strongly urge you to vote and to ratify this agreement.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me, or any of your AFT Guild Executive Council Officers, or attend one of our upcoming forums, if you have any questions regarding any aspect of this settlement.
In Solidarity,
Jim
Jim Mahler, President
AFT Guild, Local 1931
