West Valley-Mission College District Faculty Preparing For Possible Strike

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA -- Members of the West Valley-Mission Community College District faculty union has voted to establish a strike hardship fund, the latest sign that union members are preparing for the possibility of a future labor action.

The strike fund authorization, which was agreed to on Tuesday, March 14, is the latest development in an ongoing contract dispute with the college district, allows for an increase in member dues in preparation for the possibility of a strike.

“This vote speaks to the unity of the faculty in negotiating with the District,” said Ann Marie Wasserbauer, president of the faculty union, Association of College Educators, AFT 6554. “These drawn out contract negotiations are not easy. We’d rather be focusing on our students and teaching.”

The Community College District is made up of two campuses: West Valley College in Saratoga and Mission College in Santa Clara, with 750 full- and part-time faculty serving 14,000 students. Contract negotiations between the District and the faculty union have been at an impasse for about 10 months.

The union says that District administration is demanding concessions in exchange for a raise, despite having tens of millions of dollars in reserves and a 42 percent ending fund balance, which puts it near the top of all California community college districts.

Another contentious issue is healthcare costs. In recent years, the District has been shifting more of these costs to faculty. The full-time faculty’s last raise was completely offset by increasing monthly premium costs of between $250 and $660, according to the union.

Over 400 part-time faculty have no health insurance from the District.

Faculty union members are planning to rally outside of the West Valley College boardroom on Monday, March 20 prior to a scheduled 9:30 a.m. hearing with the District and fact finders.

Image via American Federation of Teachers