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Collective Bargaining

Welcome to the collective bargaining page of Human Resources. The purpose of this page is to provide information about the collective bargaining process, the current status of collective bargaining between the District and the exclusively represented groups, and the respective labor relations documents.

Public employment relations board (PERB) Notice - September 27, 2023

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AT A GLANCE: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OVERVIEW

A.    Stages of Negotiation

Stages of Collective Bargaining	Description
Initial Bargaining	A union bargains for the collective interests of its members while a District bargains for the interests of the entire District, including members of each bargaining unit. Both parties must bargain in “good faith”, which means engaging in bargaining that is fair, open, and cooperative.  At times, either party may hold a firm, resolute, and /or final position on any item(s) while being fair, open, and cooperative at the same time.
Impasse and Mediation	Impasse is nothing more than a request for the services of a mediator to help the parties reach an agreement. When used as a term of art in the realm of collective bargaining, “impasse” is simply a necessary step at times in the negotiation process.  It is indicative of neither a “failure” of the process of either party nor is it a cessation of bargaining. Impasse can be declared either jointly or by one party. In this phase, negotiations continue through the mediator, and it is often at this stage of the process that agreement is reached not only on the “sticky” issue(s)/item(s), but the overall agreement.
Fact Finding	If mediation does not produce a negotiated settlement, the parties go to Fact Finding. This is a more formal dispute resolution mechanism under which opposing parties submit their "best and final" offers, and the reasons therefore, to a third-party reviewer (or panel of reviewers). The reviewer then issues a report outlining a recommended settlement. During the process, the parties engage in intense negotiations with the assistance of the Fact Finding Panel, and in almost all cases, a settlement is reached and may involve round-the-clock negotiations. In those cases where a deal is not reached, the Fact Finding Panel will issue its recommendations as to what the parties should agree to. See the Negotiations Timelines overview for more information on how long the negotiations process typically will take.
Post Fact Finding	After Fact Finding and notice to the public, the Board of Trustees may implement either its Last Best and Final Offer or the settlement recommended by the Fact Finding Panel.

 

B. Current Phase of Negotiations

CCFF
A successor agreement was reached on July 19, 2022 and a joint statement was sent to the campus community on July 20, 2022.

The Board of Trustees ratified the successor agreement on August 17, 2022. 

Next Steps:

• CCFF leadership and the Vice President of Human Resources compile the final 2021-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement for distribution. 
• CCFF President and Vice President of Human Resources will provide contract training to the campus to highlight all changes resulting from the successor agreement. 

CSEA
Initial bargaining phase.

C. Key Points to Cerritos Community College District’s Approach to Collective Bargaining

District Commitment

The District has obligations to students, the public, employees, and retirees. The District must maintain focus on student success by providing the best possible programs and instruction through the best available faculty and staff.

Other Important Points

In the past, the District could pay for unlimited medical benefits for employees while at the same time providing yearly pay raises. However, times have changed and public pension costs and medical care costs for active and retired employees have increased. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and any new state funding increases the District receives do not cover the District’s annual increases in payroll and benefits costs. Current payroll and benefits costs are $122.5 million (91.46% of total FY21 adopted budget).

As a result, at times the District and its employees must choose between pay raises (in addition to annual step and column increases) or higher medical benefit premium maximums paid by the District.

• In the recent past, the District’s classified staff and faculty have agreed to capped limits of the amount the District pays for medical benefit premiums. 

A goal of the District is to have equity between all employee groups:

• All employees should have access to healthcare options on the same terms and conditions.
  
  

STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS

CCFF Negotiation Status:

Summary

July 1, 2022:  The District and CCFF formally entered into the fact-finding process.  The purpose of fact-finding is to obtain the support of a three-member fact finding panel in reaching an agreement.  The District member of the fact-finding panel is Mr. Joshua Taylor, Attorney of the Erickson Law Firm.  The CCFF member of the fact-finding panel is Dr. April Bracamontes.  The neutral third-party recommended by fact-finding panel is Ms. Loretta van der pol. The hearing was be scheduled on July 19, 2022.  

The District and CCFF were able to resolve several issues in advance of the fact-finding hearing. Also in advance of the fact-finding hearing, the District and CCFF reached an agreement to move the matter into mediation with Ms. Van der Pol serving as a mediator. 

On July 19, 2022, in a 16-hour mediation session, the parties were able to reach a successor agreement.

Next Steps:

• CCFF membership will hold a ratification vote on the successor agreement.
• Board Action is required at the August 17, 2022 Trustees meeting.

District/CCFF Settlement on Salary

Base Salary Increases: 

• 13.39% increase over three years for full-time faculty and part-time faculty (non-instructional), broken down as follows: 
  • Year 1: 5.07% (COLA) + 1% 
  • Year 2: 6.56% (COLA) + 0.25% 
  • Year 3: COLA + 0.50%  
• 13.39% increase over three years for part-time faculty (instructional), broken down as follows:  
  • Year 1: 5.07% (COLA) + 1% 
  • Year 2: 6.56% (COLA) + 0.25% 
  • Year 3: COLA + 0.50%  

Full-Time Salary Schedule Additions:   

• Add two new steps on column A-D 

Annual Medical Premium Contribution for Full-Time Faculty:   

• Fully paid in calendar year 2022
• Fully paid in calendar year 2023 with the exception of Anthem Blue Cross, Traditional (HMO)
• Fully paid in calendar year 2024 with the exception of Anthem Blue Cross, Traditional (HMO)
  
  

SALARY FACTS AT A GLANCE

Based on local district comparables, the District’s most recent salary proposal puts Cerritos College at the top for highest faculty compensation. 

Before increases, the average full-time faculty salary is $132,036 (not including the cost of benefits). 

Before increases, the average part-time instructional/noninstructional faculty hourly rate is $88.70 per hour. 

The following impacts per faculty member are based on the above-noted averages, and they are impacts for years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 resulting from the agreed-upon compensation increases noted above:

• Overall increase for each full-time faculty member for 21-22 and 22-23: $17,566
• Overall increase for each part-time faculty hourly rate for years 21-22 and 22-23: $11.80 per hour

These impacts will increase for 2023-2024 by COLA + 0.5%.

Additional facts:

• After the first two increases, new average full-time faculty salary for 2022-2023 will be above $149,000
• After first two increases, the maximum step of the 2022-2023 full-time faculty salary schedule will be $152,852
• Current average household income for Los Angeles County - $72,797

CSEA Negotiation Status:

Summary

June 23: 2022: The District and CSEA met for a ninth negotiation session. During this session, CSEA provided the District with six (6) proposals, including their first proposal on Article 5 – Compensation. 

July 21, 2022: The District and CSEA met for a tenth negotiation session. During this session, CSEA provided the District with one (1) proposal on Article 27. The District provided CSEA with five (5) proposals, which included Articles 2, 4, 6, and 10 in addition to two MOU proposals; Remote Work and Evaluation Pilot Program.

August 4, 2022: The District and CSEA met for their eleventh negotiation session. CSEA presented counter proposals to the District's Remote Work MOU proposal and Evaluation Pilot Program MOU proposal. 

August 19, 2022: The District and CSEA met for a twelfth negotiation session. During this session, the District presented an economics package, consisting of Article 3 - Organizational Rights, Article 5 - Compensation, and Article 7 - Hours of Employment. As part of the proposal, the District extended a proposal with the same salary increases to CSEA as those approved on August 17, 2022 for other employee groups, as follows: 

• 2021-2022: 5.07% (COLA) + 1%  
• 2022-2023: 6.56% (COLA) + 0.25%  
• 2023-2024: COLA + 0.50%   

August 31, 2022: After their fourteenth negotiation session, the District and CSEA were able to reach a tentative agreement on Article 6 Health and Welfare Benefits. As a result of this agreement, all CSEA members will receive the maximum District contributions towards their annual medical premiums listed below. CSEA also presented proposals on Articles 3, 5, and 7. 

• Fully paid in Year 1
• Fully paid in Year 2, with the exception of Anthem Blue Cross, Traditional HMO
• Up to $29,000 in Year 3

September 8, 2022: The District and CSEA Negotiating teams met for their fifteenth negotiation session. The District presented counter proposals for Articles 2 - General Provisions, Article 3 - Organizational Rights, Article 5 - Compensation, and Article 7 - Hours of Employment. The same salary provisions were listed in the Article 5 - Compensation proposal as the District's previous proposal.

The District also sunshined a new subject of negotiation for Article 29 - New Employee Orientation. 

September 16, 2022: Progress was made between the two parties at their sixteenth negotiation session. A tentative agreement was reached on the following articles:

• Article 2 - General Provisions
• Article 5 - Compensation 
• Article 7 - Hours of Employment

The remaining articles of the successor agreement are pending a counter proposal from CSEA, which include: 

• Article 3 - Organization Rights
• Article 29 - New Employee Orientation