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The Ventura County Federation of College Teachers. AFT, Local 1828, is a labor union representing over 1,400 faculty members of the Ventura County Community College District who serve approximately 32,000 students enrolled in the district's three colleges - Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura.

The Federation is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, the California Federation of Teachers, the California Labor Federation and the AFL-CIO.

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Contract Negotiations

Click here to see our Intial Proposal to the District (Dated 1-15-2010)

Click here to see the Initial Proposal from the District (Dated 1-15-2010)

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March on Sacramento March 5, 2010

Click Here for Info on the 3/5/10 MARCH FOR CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE

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Budget Update: Just the facts by Connie Jenkins

The following is a synopsis of the current state of the VCCCD budget.

In July, the state of California passed a budget which cut CCC funding $630 million by reducing base funding, eliminating growth funds (COLA having been axed from the beginning), and slashing categorical programs.

At VCCCD: Although the District credited $2.2m in new income from the prior year's growth, the state reduced base funding by roughly 1,000 students, or $4.5m, giving with one hand and taking it back with the other, as it were.

For fiscal year 2010, the District projects it will receive general fund revenues of $134.8m - $6.1m less than last year, a reduction of 4.4%.

Categoricals were cut by an additional $4.8m, an average of 37%. Some funds were totally eliminated. Matriculation was cut 57%. (These numbers may be modified in Nov. /Dec.)

Federal stimulus funds will restore an estimated $422K or 3% of the above total funds, resulting in a reduction of $4.4m or 34% over all.

Enrollment: The district deposited $2.2m in growth funds (464 FTES) into the reserves in June at the end of 2008-09. Total 2008-09 enrollment: 29,348-2,500 unfunded, an increase of 11.2% in one year. (Enrollment in 2007-08 was 26,381.)

Although the district is projecting a 1% decline in enrollment for the current year as a result of class cuts and the cancellation of the 4-week summer session, enrollment for the fall semester is up about 2% district-wide. This year, over 3,000 FTES will not be funded by the state.

If all of our enrollment were funded, the district would gain an additional $14m!!

Expenditures: The adopted budget projects spending of $136m. Despite these severe funding cuts, the district budget projects a 1% increase in expenditures ($1.34m) over last year. However, they have budgeted $1.1m less on faculty salaries (a 2% decrease).

We know that about 100 adjunct faculty were cut last January. We do not know yet whether there have been further reductions this year or more are coming for spring. The cancellation of the 4-week summer session will affect both full-time and part-time faculty. Forty-one classified employees have been laid off so far this year. Two management positions have been left unfilled. However, the number of managers district-wide has grown from 44 in 2005 to 57 now, an increase of 30%.

Reserves: The district's unrestricted general fund reserve totals $20.6m or 15.1%. If you include the $1.3m in reserves held by the campuses, it's $22.8m or 16.8%.

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Settlement of 2009-10 Contract Re-opener

At the June 23 Board meeting, the trustees voted unanimously to accept the re-opener agreement between the VCCCD and AFT 1828 for 2009-10. The agreement had been ratified by members on Tuesday, June 16, with 89% of those voting in favor. The settlement provides that there will be no across-the-board salary increase but that the current salary schedules, including step, column, and longevity increases will be in effect. Since Article 4, Health and Welfare Benefits, was not open, the district will continue to pay FT faculty benefit premiums; for the same reason, the district will maintain its contribution to the cost of the PT faculty Kaiser plan, but participants will have to pay the increase in their premiums.

In the current financial climate, with much uncertainty about state revenues in the coming years, this nearly status-quo settlement with no take-backs represents a realistic conclusion to the negotiations.

Thanks are due to Chief Negotiator Connie Jenkins and the other members of our bargaining team: Steve Hall (OC FT), Greg Kaapuni (OC PT), Dan Kumpf (VC FT), Mark Moore (MC PT), Paula Muñoz (VC FT), and Raquel Olivera (MC FT). Also to Budget Analyst Janice Feingold, who assisted with research, and our administrative assistant, Catrina Schambra, who facilitated the ratification process.

Important Events

AFT Executive Council Meetings

Friday, February 5
2 p.m., OC (TBA)

Friday, March 5
2 p.m., AFT Office

VCCCD Board Meetings

Tuesday, February 9
7 p.m., District Office

Tuesday, March 9
7 p.m., District Office

Faculty News

CONGRATULATIONS!

2009 Outstanding Activists

Bob Pugh (Grievance Chair) & Rex Edwards (FT VP MC)

Bob and Rex were named 2009 Outstanding Activists at the CFT Convention in March. We are proud and happy to congratulate these two Executive Council members on being recognized at the state level for their tireless work on behalf of our faculty! Local 1828 was also collected three Communication Awards this year:

Second Place: Best Newsletter

"AFT Action Update"
Edited by John Wagner

Third Place: Best Persuasive Writing

"Union Membership Protects you in the Economic Storm"
by Mike Dixon

Honorable Mention: Best Bulletin Series

"AFT Negotiations Update"
Edited by Connie Jenkins

Jim Herndon Award 2008

Video "What do you do?" Written/produced/directed by Bill Hendricks

Judges' comments: This video exemplifies the power of a simple message. It took much forethought to make it appear so simple. There's not even an extra word. Clear and sophisticated delivery. The moment you thought you knew where it was taking you, they hit you with the zinger. "Jim would have loved it."

Click on the following link to see the video written, directed and produced by faculty member Bill Hendricks starring many of our colleagues playing themselves. It was a powerful statement during our recent contract negotiations. It was awarded the Jim Herndon Award at the California Federation of Teachers Convention in Oakland last week. This top award honors the local communication that best represents the "Spirit of the Federation," conveys the importance of unionism in the field of education and is an outstanding creative effort. Congratulations and our thanks again to Bill Hendricks and all the faculty who participated in the making of the great video!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=U7OGwnR4Dxg

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