Do you know a student interested in working for/with unions or organizations promoting social justice after graduation? The Community Colleges Retirees Chapter has created a scholarship you need to tell that student about.
Community college faculty, staff, students, and our allies are ready to demonstrate to state decision-makers that we will not sit idly by as they gut public higher education; allow childcare workers, long-term care workers, and paraeducators to continue in poverty wages without health benefits; ignore teaching and other staffing crises; and allow our neediest residents to continue without critical services.
Our union is continuing our fight to renew every EA contract for all our EAs who have either lost their jobs, seen their hours reduced, or been provided short-term renewals that leave members in precarious and uncertain positions.
Our Contract last year included two lump sum payments. For many of the bargaining unit, there was some wait to receive the payments, but some of our members are still waiting! However, we can finally report that the wait is nearly over!
Since the very first day of Governor Lamont’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” emergency declaration, essential on-site state workers risked their lives and the lives of their families, as well as their physical and mental health to deliver core public services for Connecticut residents and businesses. In the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, we worked with state officials to try to keep workplaces as safe as humanly possible during a global public health emergency. In recent months, the labor and management have turned to pandemic pay to provide a tangible recognition for the dedication and sacrifices essential on-site workers made during the height of the virus’s impact.
Many faculty have reached out to share concerns about proposed class caps listed in the Fall 2023 Rollover Schedule that was recently shared with faculty across our campuses.
Some campuses have begun soliciting intent for ‘non-instructional load’ for the Fall 2023 semester. Some Campus Schedulers asked faculty to report Additional Responsibilities, work as Program Coordinator or Department Chair, any projected Reassigned Time, Additional Courses, or service on state-wide committees.
In the last few weeks, we heard from several faculty after meetings at the campuses related to department structures resulted in misinformation. In these campus meetings, at least 2 deans reported every campus needed to have six departments and six department chairs. That is incorrect.
Across our states, many of us are essential workers who serve our communities, educate our children, and so many other services essential to making our communities safe and healthy. These are essential public services every community needs. Our work makes our cities run and our taxes fund our communities. So why do our schools and child care system continue to be underfunded?