After nearly two years of legal wrangling, part-time faculty at College of the Canyons finally got what they wanted--the chance to choose which union would represent them. Today, in a landslide vote (208 to 41), part-timers selected the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) as their exclusive bargaining agent.

Many thought this day would never come. After all, the district had done everything in its power to keep its part-time faculty from choosing AFT. First, in the middle of a legal carding campaign by AFT in fall 2001, COC concocted a scheme to force the part-timers, without their knowledge or consent, into the CTA full-timers union. For 25 years, CTA had staunchly refused to let part-timers into their union. Part-Time Faculty United--AFT responded by filing an unfair labor practice charge against the college, and the battle was joined. Finally, after two state decisions that went against them--by the Public Employment Relations Board and the State Court of Appeals--the college gave up and stopped fighting the election.

In the meantime, leaders of the would-be part-time faculty union were sorely challenged. As vulnerable part-time employees with no continuing contract and no tenure, they evoked the public and private anger of COC administrators and found their classes cut or removed altogether. Friendly department chairs told part-time activists that the administration had ordered them to remove their classes and give them to full-time faculty.

Welcome! The article you'd like to read is available to Adjunct Advocate subscribers, or to non-subscribers for purchase with AdjunctNation Passport credits. Your AdjunctNation Passport credit purchases compensate the writers directly!

If you like, visit our secure online store to purchase AdjunctNation Passport credits or subscribe. PLEASE NOTE: If you're already registered, you don't need to register again to read the article! You need to login, go to our secure online store, and purchase AdjunctNationCredits.