"DONE DEAL" COMES UNDONE - BUT COC REFUSES TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE AUTHORITIES!

Though the fundamental AMERICANright TO CHOOSE has temporarily been removed by an absolutist, short-sighted, and self-serving Santa Clarita Community College District administration, claiming that it was a "done deal," the Public Employees Relations Board (PERB)determined on Thursday, February 14, 2002 that indeed our rights have been violated.

DESPITE THE February 14th PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS BOARD (PERB) RULING ON BEHALF OF PART-TIME FACULTY AT COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS, the COCADMINISTRATION REMAINS DETERMINED TO BLOCK PART-TIME EFFORTS TO ORGANIZE.  PERB THEREFORE STANDS IN STRONG SUPPORT OF PART-TIME FACULTY AT COC.  Using STALLING measures and CLAIMING not to have known ANYTHING about the PART-TIMER'S COMPLAINT against them (RECALL THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PUBLICLY ACKOWLEDGED THE COMPLAINT AT THE PART-TIME FACULTY ORIENTATION, JANUARY 14, 2002!), an injunction hearing has been set for March 22, 2002.  Pursuant to the court's request, the district has assured the court at the FEBRUARY 26TH hearing that they WILL NOT represent COCPART-TIME FACULTY in any negotiations as long as there remains a CHALLENGE to their original claim as adjunct faculty representatives. CAN THEY BE TRUSTED? THE COCADMINISTRATION AND ITS FULL-TIME FACULTY ASSOCIATION REMAIN CRAFTY AND DUPLICITOUS IN THEIR EVERY ACTION!

THE FOLLOWING CONGRATULATORY EMAIL EXCERPT CAME THROUGH THIS EVENING:

Congratulations to the COC Adjunct Faculty United for sticking to it.  This is a great decision.  Now you can have a real election and move forward to negotiate a contract.

Harry Korn, Grievance Chair, AFT Local 1828

COC part-time faculty members and COC Part-Time Faculty United received a favorable ruling on Thursday, February 14, 2002 from the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB), protecting our rights and allowing us to finally organize independently of the COCFA.

The COCFA induction of Part-Time faculty against our will was ILLEGAL, according to a February 14, 2002 ruling by the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) in Sacramento. Our assertion all along was that the COCFA was WRONG.  COCFA representatives and the COC Administration insisted otherwise, and now that we have a ruling in our favor, we'll see if the Administration keeps its promise to comply, as was stated by COC VP Phil Hartley at the Part-Time faculty orientation meeting January 14, 2002.

THE FOLLOWING EMAIL EXCERPT CAME THROUGH THIS EVENING, EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH COC PART-TIME FACULTY - LET'S ORGANIZE!
(the full text is available upon request):

Your problem was brought to the attention of the Southern CA Part-time committee of CCC of the CFT.  We are dismayed but not surprised at the actions of your district.  In short, several CFT/AFT locals have expressed an interest . . .[in aiding] your cause. . .

. . .For freedom of choice,

Roy Latas

Southern Co-Chair
Part-Timer Committee
California Community College Council
California Federation of Teachers

THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL EMAIL CAME THROUGH THIS EVENING, EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH COC PART-TIME FACULTY.

Don't give up the fight for strong union representation. We (the Community College Council of the California Federation of Teachers) are looking forward to the day when you will be joining us as members of the Council and will be able to share in the struggle that we wage across the state in support of a better working life for all  faculty and staff.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM ANOTHER EMAIL STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY FROM A PART-TIME FACULTY MEMBER AT MOORPARK COLLEGE (an member of AFT 1828) AND A T.A. AT UC IRVINE (represented there by the UAW-the full text is available upon request):

I am writing to express solidarity with the part-timers at COC.  I work part-time at Moorpark College, . . .  The full-time tactics you describe are a classic case of the "aristocracy of labor" pursuing its short-term interests at the expense of other workers (in the 1940s, women and blacks, today, part-time labor).  What we need are mandatory labor history classes for faculty!

. . .I believe the interests of part-timers cannot be represented by the same union that represents full-time faculty, so you are pursuing the correct course by rejecting CTA's cynical attempt to silence you.

Good luck in your struggle for justice and equality.

IN SOLIDARITY,
COC Part-Time Faculty UNITED
cocptsolidarity@worldnet.att.net
1-800-662-1911

As of Friday, February 8, 2002, the Public Employees Relations Board (PERB) has yet to make a decision on an injunction petition against the Santa Clarita Community College District, by the California Community College Organizing Project on behalf of COC Part-Time Faculty United.  Meanwhile the leadership of the COC (Full-Time) Faculty Association (COCFA) and the Administration continue to distort the facts of this case while engaging in stalling tactics aimed at keeping COC Part-Timers from organizing.