Better Together

Welcome to the MSJC Faculty Association blog space. This space has been created for FA members to share their thoughts and ideas on all matters related to working conditions and contractual obligations.

We are entering contract negotiations with the District this month and need our members to provide input on the areas of the contract they would like changed. Salary increases and improvements to health and welfare benefits always top this list—and we know in a time of fiscal crisis these are harder to negotiate—and we know there are other, perhaps just as important areas of the contract that may need attention. We have heard much talk lately about faculty preparation to teach online and whether these requirements should be specific, mandated requirements or remain as recommended preparations. This would be a change to working condition and require negotiation. We have also heard a call for more training on equity implementation practices in classroom—should these be paid opportunities or part of our continued professional practice? Should we be limited to teaching a certain percentage online and a certain percentage in person (when we resume post-pandemic?)? What about the representative duties—are you all happy with the way those have been defined and distributed? And then there is Chair duties and responsibilities….the job that seems to grow in scope by the day and yet the compensation shrinks with every new interpretation of how the “load” is calculated. If anyone has solutions to that one….well, we really want to hear from you! Each of these issues are complex and we recognize the needs are as individual as our membership. We would love to have you as partners in this journey through the negotiation process and tell us your top needs and solutions….recognizing that we can’t always get what we want.

In solidarity!