On Wednesday we entered mediation with the college which was closed to observers. Administration continues to claim that they have extremely limited funds for bargaining and therefore cannot offer more than a 0.35% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Instead, they proposed a one-time $500 ratification payment.
Administration also continues to assert that all proposals beyond COLA and health insurance caps are “permissive.” This claim is simply incorrect, and we will not allow them to avoid their responsibility to bargain in good faith. We recognize that the college, like many institutions and indeed many of us, is facing difficult financial decisions. But it is important to be clear about how we arrived here. Administration made intentional choices while writing a $700 million biennial budget. They chose to allocate just $2 million for bargaining, while allocating large sums to their special projects. And all while making deliberate decisions to underfund programs and departments even as enrollment demands grow.
We encourage you to watch this short video from math instructor Frank Goulard, which highlights the several budget areas where the college has access to an estimated $47.6 million in funds. You can click on the image or the text link below!
Let’s be Frank about the Budget!
It has become clear that the college does not yet believe that FFAP is ready to strike or they would be providing serious proposals. It is imperative that we work together to increase pressure on management for reasonable pay and benefits. Management wants you to think that asking for reasonable wages in a time of supposed budget crisis harms students. They are exploiting the deep care and concern faculty and staff have for our work and our students and attempting to gaslight us into thinking we deserve less. You put in countless hours of work each week and over breaks to ensure students are receiving high quality education and support. You spend many hours advocating for the needs of students. YOU DESERVE FAIR PAY and it’s not unethical to demand it. It’s unethical for management to ask you to continually do more and accept what amounts to a pay cut when you factor in inflation and rising healthcare costs. This is about how management has made decisions to allocate funds, not a lack of resources. Budgets show us what management values. Together, we are powerful and we can change those values. Together #wefixpcc.
This round of negotiations is about far more than COLA alone. It is about long-term priorities and the sustainability of our institution. Budgeting decisions made today shape whether the college is prepared for growth, able to support existing students, and capable of respecting and retaining its faculty and academic professionals. If administration continues down this path and we do not push back, we will be living with the consequences for years to come.