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Mary O’Neal, Kern faculty association president |
The Kern Community College District chapter of the California Community College Association will become a stronger voice in its district, following a decision by the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) that allows part-time faculty to join the association.
“We’ve worked together for almost three years so we are delighted with the decision,” said Mary O’Neal, president of the faculty association, which will now become a “wall-to-wall unit.” Previously, part-time faculty at Kern’s three campuses, Bakersfield, Porterfield and Cerro Coso Colleges were not represented by a union.
“We are committed to parity and equity for full and part-time faculty,” O’Neal says. “This will give all faculty more strength.”
Wall-to-wall
The idea to add part-time faculty to the full-time unit resulted from a general survey of full-time faculty bargaining unit members, which was led by the local leadership, according to O’Neal. Later on, at CCA conference, leaders of other wall-to-wall units led a discussion on how they had gained more influence as a result of joining part-time and full-time faculty. Kern’s representatives brought ideas back to the local chapter, which then acted to modify its unit to add part-time faculty, an action that does not require an election. The college district, however, contested the change and brought its challenge to PERB. In April, PERB ruled that CCA had demonstrated majority support among part-time instructors and rejected the district’s challenge.
Nearly 800 part-time instructors will now be added to the faculty union as a result of the decision.
O’Neal expects that the new relationship will be cemented this summer when the association hosts a retreat. Despite the district’s attempt to thwart the union, O’Neal maintains the atmosphere on campus will be more positive because of it.
“When all of us are treated with respect and equity, we can do an even better job in the classroom. Management also benefits when the campus is happy and thriving.”