Collectively we can achieve positive change in our workplace through united action to improve working conditions, wages, and benefits. In just a couple hours you can make a difference!
Join old friends and meet new ones at AFT’s Member social and appreciation party today, January 29 at 5:00pm for dinner and sign making at CSM Vista.
https://bit.ly/Jan29CountMeIn to RSVP, or just come and see us!
At 6:00 p.m. we’ll march a few yards to the Board of Trustees’ first meeting of the year to stand in unity as faculty as we gear up to begin negotiating our new contract (2025-2028) the following week. Friends and family are welcome.
Are you busy this evening but curious about bargaining? Again, you can support your union’s negotiations team by signing up to observe: bit.ly/ObserverSignup
Would you like to be a site rep (or union steward) for your campus department? Stewards help communicate faculty concerns and interests to your union’s Executive Committee and keep our members informed and engaged! Reach out to your Chapter Chair with questions or to sign up.
Cañada College: Camille Kaslan kaslan@aft1493.org
College of San Mateo: Chet Lexvold (AFT Exec. Director) Lexvold@aft1493.org
Skyline College: Michael (“Mick”) Song Song@aft1493.org
Introducing AFT's Negotiations Team and Executive Director
AFT’s Contract campaign has launched! Article committees have begun meeting and negotiations begin February 7. All union members are welcome to observe Friday afternoon bargaining sessions via zoom and join AFT in caucus discussions.
AFT’s 2025 bargaining team represents all three campuses and has strong diversity in skills, experience, and campus roles. Negotiators were appointed by AFT in the Fall, following a call out to all interested faculty union members.
The team includes: Monica Malamud (Spanish, Cañada), Jennifer Van Sijll (Adjunct faculty, Film Studies, CSM), Gil Perez (Counseling, CSM), Luis Zuniga (Music, Skyline), Althea Kippes (Paralegal Studies, Cañada College) and Chet Lexvold (AFT, Executive Director).
Meet Chet Lexvold, AFT 1493's new Executive Director and most recent addition to our union's bargaining team. See more on the website!
Benefits News about Your Social Security!
National AFT has long lobbied for the repeal of a pension offset called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) for public sector workers. For more than 40 years, the WEP has reduced the Social Security benefits of anyone who earned pensions from jobs for which Social Security taxes were not withheld.
However on January 5, 2025, former President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act, HR 82, into law. This new law restores our right to collect the social security retirement benefits we have earned from having paid into the social security program. To be eligible for these benefits, you must have paid social security taxes for 40 quarters (ten years) over the entirety of your working career. You can check your eligibility for benefits here (https://www.ssa.gov/retirement/eligibility).
How much will faculty save? One (non-retired) union adjunct faculty member used the WEP calculator to get an estimate of how much their Social Security benefits would have been reduced if not for the now repealed Provision. It amounted to $2,400/year. That’s a victory worth celebrating!
PT Faculty: It's Not Too Late to Sign Up for Health Insurance
If your non-smccd health insurance coverage has recently concluded or expired and you are no longer covered by someone else’s plan, this is your “qualifying event” to sign up for District sponsored health insurance because you have “lost” your insurance.
To qualify for coverage from now through April 2025, you need to have been working 40% or more of full-time in our District (OR between multiple community college districts) as of October 1, 2024. If this applies to you, contact George Sampior, Jr. in HR to enroll right away at sampiorg@smccd.edu.
The qualifying eligibility date to claim insurance from May-October 2025 will be April 1, 2025 (if you are working 40% or more on this date). Mark your calendar: open enrollment begins April 1, 2025.
While AFT fought long and hard to win health insurance for its part-time members, our local will continue to fight for improvements to this benefit in our new contract cycle.
Questions? Reach out to union leaders Tamara Perkins <perkins@aft1493.org> or Jessica Silver-Sharp <silver-sharp@aft1493.org>
Democracy in Action: Get Involved at AFT Membership Meetings
Monthly membership meetings offer opportunities to participate, learn and directly impact your working conditions, wages and benefits! Meetings are hyflex at all three campuses or Zoom at bit.ly/aft1493mm.
- February 12: College of San Mateo and Zoom
- March 12: Skyline College, 5-134 and Zoom
- April 9: Cañada College, TBA and Zoom
- May 14: College of San Mateo and Zoom