February 27th, Negotiations Update

The Union Negotiations Team met with the Compton College District Negotiations team on February 27th. In an act of solidarity, over 20 faculty members joined the bargaining session. The Union continued to press its case for a cost of living adjustment of 32% to make up for the lack of COLA received since 2019. The proposed raise would increase over the next three academic years, 16.54% 2023-24, which includes a one time retroactive pay bonus; 8.13% for 2024-25, and 8% 2025-26. This increase would affect all full time and part time faculty members. 

Our rank and file member, Dr. Jesse Mills, shared testimony on the impact of the district’s unwillingness to meet the living standards of our faculty members over the past ten years. Dr. Mills pointed to the significant disparity between the growing salary schedule gap of neighboring schools. Dr. Mills pointed to our peers at Long Beach City College and El Camino College, who with similar years of experience, earn 25% and 35% more than Compton College faculty. Dr. Mills made the case that the stagnant salary schedule and ever demanding working conditions of our faculty directly impact faculty performance, and therefore student success. Dr. Mills raised concerns about how the college's budget was managed, particularly criticizing the mismanagement of construction projects and the allocation of funds to increase administrative salaries.

Dr. Mills echoed the concern shared by the Union leadership over the allocation of significant salary increases received by Administrators. In July 2023, the Administrative class received an expanded salary schedule which included an increase of their salaries as well as the introduction of new salary steps, which will dramatically increase their wages in the future. 

See below for the approved Administrative Salary increases. 

New Administrative Salary Schedule

2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025

Salary Increase 181,005 398,069 485,255

Benefit Increase 55,433 123,676 151,264

Total 236,438 521,746 636,519

• Board Agenda Item discussing the Administrative Salary Increase on July 18, 2023. 

• Board Agenda unanimously approving new Salary Schedule on July 18, 2023. 

• Administrative Salary Schedule (chart) Approved by the Board, effective July 2022.

Typical of the flippant disregard of the points brought forth by the Union, that rightfully criticize the District’s budget decision making process, the topic was avoided and disregarded by their chief negotiator. 

The District responded through Dr. Abdul Nasser, VP of Administrative Services, on the points of compensation. Dr. Nasser presented data on budget projections made by his office in consultation with the District. Dr. Nasser stressed that financial decisions are made with the future health of the institution in mind. He pointed to the “competing” priorities that the school is facing and implied that any significant change to faculty’s pay would result in financial instability, direct harm to student services, and the halting of the construction of buildings - which have already been delayed due to poor management from his office. The Union demanded additional information be provided to evaluate and provide a forensic accounting analysis of that data. The E-Board will be reaching out to our CFT and AFT partners to receive support to provide a forensic accounting analysis of the District proposed budget. We invite all union members to participate in this analysis. 

Only after being pressed continuously, the district agreed to provide an official written response to our demands on health care contributions and other compensation sub articles on March 5, 2024. 

The Union negotiation articles in regards to compensation are:

• Part-Time and Full Time Salary Increases.

• Increase of maximum initial placement of new faculty hires, Step 17 not the current Step 13. 

• Health and Welfare Coverage - paying full premium for healthcare, vision, and dental care for both full time and part time faculty. 

• Return to coverage of retired faculty for vision and dental - which we do not currently have. 

The Union has requested the District provide the data and further notes on the information presented by Dr. Nasser.

Equity Avenger, Dr. Keith Curry recently stated that budgets, in his view, are “statements of values.” He has stated “I have said on countless occasions that Budgets are statements of values. We can not just stop providing services to students because of declining resources, this is when we become creative, as our students need us more now than ever before.” The Union agrees that services are essential for the success of the school and our community. But that success cannot be achieved without a faculty who are treated with dignity and respect as front line education workers. 

Equity includes faculty. 

We ask that all full time and part time faculty:

• Help us demonstrate to the district the severity of these demands by attending the next negotiating meeting on March 5, 3-5pm, please see your emails for invitations to the zoom and caucus links.

• Consider becoming a Union division lead.

• Please update your email and contact information with the Union.

  • If you know of a colleague that is not receiving Union communications, please share this post and links with them. 

• Participate in the Organizing Committee by attending Union Office Hours Mondays and Wed 10am-12pm in the Union Office, Tartar Village 31D.

• Continue having these conversations about our pay inequity with your colleagues. 

Faculty should not bear the burden of mismanagement - we deserve a basic cost of living increase. 

Administrators need us, we do not need administrators!

Faculty Strong! Direct Action Gets the Goods! 

In solidarity, 

CCCFE EBoard