AFT Seattle college faculty walk out for better pay

UPDATED — Here are some pics from the Nov. 17 walkout (photos by Dan Troccoli, AFT organizer):

North Seattle College.

Seattle Central College.

South Seattle College.

SEATTLE (Nov. 17, 2016) — Faculty represented by AFT Seattle 1789 at multiple colleges will take part in a voluntary walkout of their classes today (Thursday, Nov. 17) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at each of the campuses. The union says decision to walk out comes after months of bargaining and an unsatisfactory offer from the district in negotiations.

The union is asking for:

● pay increases for all faculty;

● 75% of courses be taught by full-time faculty and 25% taught by part-time faculty;

● improvements to part-time faculty working conditions; and

● a standard definition of full-time workload applied to everyone in an effort to address workload inequities that exist in the system.

The administration says it wants to address low salaries for full-time faculty and increase the number of tenure-track positions. However, according to the union, they offer no pay increase for part-time faculty and reject possible solutions to workload inequities that are not revenue neutral. The union reports that the administration says they don’t have the money because of declining enrollments and lack of state funding.

TAKE A STAND — Seattle college employees could use support from other AFT members — faculty, classified, and professional — plus other union members and community supporters to show solidarity and to send a clear message to the administration. They know that administrators can decide to make faculty and instruction a higher priority. They know that students will benefit from the changes being promoted at the bargaining table. And that is the bottom line. When they are doing a good job of enrolling, retaining and graduating students, everyone benefits.

All are invited to show support at the following campuses today:

North Seattle College, 9600 College Way N., gathering below the large stairway leading up to the outdoor college plaza, on the College Way side of campus, all day, with a rally at noon.

Seattle Central College, 1701 Broadway on Capitol Hill, gathering in front of the Broadway Edison Building along Broadway, all day, with a rally from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

South Seattle College, 6000 16th Ave. SW in West Seattle, gathering at the Clock Tower in the center of campus, all day, with a rally from noon to 2 p.m.

Thank you for your support.