Montgomery College Part-Timers Testify
WE DID IT!
Yesterday evening, with part-time faculty members Alan Stover
and Terilee Edwards-Hewitt monitoring the counting of the last
remaining ballots, the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing,
and Regulation announced the final tally for our election. By
a margin of more than three-to-one, we've overwhelmingly voted
to unite together with SEIU!
A round of applause broke out in the room as officials from the
labor board read off the 250th vote for SEIU, marking a clear
victory for us. As the vote count continued to climb past 300...
then 350... and all the way to 365, instructors who had turned
out to watch the vote count began hugging and congratulating one
another. When all the ballots were counted, the final results
was 365 YES votes to 105 no votes.
We should all be proud of what we have accomplished.
Whether your first time taking part in this effort was casting
your YES vote, or whether you have been active since we first
started talking about unionizing many months ago, this victory
is yours.
There's still much work to be done as we move forward building
our strength and standing up for lasting changes at Montgomery
College. But the stronger voice we've gained by uniting together
with this vote is undeniable. Together, we will win improvements
for ourselves and the students we teach.
MC ADJUNCTS: OUR ELECTION DEADLINE IS APPROACHING
Since the last email reminder went out, hundreds more part-time
faculty members have mailed in our ballots to vote YES for SEIU
and a stronger voice at Montgomery College. But there are still
a large number of adjuncts who have not yet received their
ballots and the deadline to return them is fast approaching.
If you have not yet received a ballot, call 1-800-395-0976 to
request a new one. You will be asked to dial #46005
to speak with a representative regarding our election. If you
call after regular business hours, you can still leave a message
to request a new ballot.
Because we are nearing the deadline, the labor board will be
mailing ballots to instructors who need them twice per day. To
ensure you don't miss the cut-off, you must call to request a
new ballot immediately if you have not yet gotten yours
in the mail.
Remember: we have worked very hard to get this election and
you have the right to vote in it. Take advantage of that
right by voting YES for SEIU. Together, we can win improvements
for ourselves and the students we teach.
Next Tuesday is the last day ballots can be returned and still
guaranteed to arrive at the labor commissioner's office in time
for the vote count. If you haven't already returned your ballot,
please check the mail for it, mark and sign it, and drop it in
the mailbox TODAY. If you have not yet received your ballot
or have misplaced it, call 1-800-395-0976 immediately to request
a new one.
We're almost there. For those of you who have already marked,
signed, and mailed your ballot - congratulations. We're well on
our way to a stronger voice at Montgomery College. For those of
you who have yet to cast your vote - it's not too late. Join
hundreds of your fellow part-time faculty members in standing up
for lasting improvements at the college by voting in this
important election; and do it today!
DO YOU HAVE YOUR BALLOT?
The results are beginning to pour in; hundreds of part-time
faculty members from every campus and every department at
Montgomery College are voting YES for a stronger voice. At last
count, we're voting 5 to 1 in favor of uniting together with
SEIU Local 500.
But, to send a clear message that we want a stronger voice at
the college, we need everyone to vote in this important
election. If you have not yet received your ballot in the
mail and you are qualified to vote in this election - or if you have misplaced your ballot - call immediately to request a new
one. The deadline to return ballots is fast approaching, so
you'll need to request a new ballot today to allow enough time
for the ballot to be delivered.
To request a new ballot, contact the State of Maryland
Commissioner of Labor and Industry on their toll-free hotline:
1-800-395-0976
You will be asked to dial #46005 to speak with a representative regarding our election. If you call after regular business hours, you can still leave a message to request a new ballot.
If you meet the conditions agreed upon by the bargaining unit, you have the right to vote in this election. Exercise that right by casting your YES vote in favor of a stronger voice at Montgomery College. If you need a ballot, call 1-800-395-0976. If part-time faculty members stand together, we can win lasting improvements for ourselves and for the quality of education we provide at the college.
MC ADJUNCTS: OUR BALLOTS ARE IN THE MAIL!
Today is a historic moment for us. This morning,
from their offices in Baltimore, the Maryland Division of
Labor and Industry mailed just over 1,000 ballots to our homes
across Maryland and throughout the region. In the next few
days, you can expect to receive an envelope containing your
ballot - and your chance to vote YES for a stronger voice at
Montgomery College.
We've worked hard to get the recognition we need from the college, the labor board, and the community to move forward with this election. Now, it's up to
us. We have the opportunity to secure better wages and
benefits for ourselves and a better learning environment for
our students - but we can't get there unless we all come
together to vote YES for SEIU.
Filling out your
ballot is a quick and easy process - but it's important that
it be done correctly to ensure your vote gets counted. For
instructions on how to complete and return your ballot, click
here. It's also important that you allow plenty of
time for your ballot to be returned and counted, so please
complete your ballot and drop it in the mail as soon as you
receive it.
If you have any questions about your
ballot or don't receive one by Monday, May 19th, contact SEIU
Local 500 at 888-871-8659. They can answer any questions you
might have and give you a toll-free number to call for a new
ballot if necessary.
Congratulations on winning this
important opportunity to strengthen your voice at Montgomery
College. We should all be very excited and very proud of what
we've accomplished. And we should take advantage of the moment
we've been given by voting YES when our ballots arrive this
week.
UPDATE FOR MC PART-TIME FACULTY (5/7)
Election date announced!
The date is set. We've spent months talking with our fellow adjuncts, writing letters, making phone calls, carrying picket signs, and working with county leaders - and, now, we finally have the chance to make our voices heard. We have an election.
On Wednesday, May 14th, the labor board will begin mailing ballots to our homes for a vote on whether or not we join together with SEIU for a stronger voice at Montgomery College. For us, this vote is about winning equal pay for equal work. It's about securing benefits for part-time faculty that allow us to support ourselves and our families. And it's about strengthening our voice at the college and in our community so that we can always take pride in the services we provide to our students.
Each and every one of us has worked hard for this opportunity. We've worked hard in the classroom, putting in those extra hours it took to help a struggling student grasp a concept. We've worked hard in our homes, spending the entire weekend making sure grades got in on time. And, most recently, we've worked hard in the community, taking courageous steps to bring our fellow adjuncts together and form a union that stands up for a stronger voice.
Our work is paying off. We can't let this moment pass us by, though. Voting YES in the upcoming election will be the easiest step we've taken so far - and, yet, it's the most important. If you haven't already, click here to sign a Vote YES petition and pledge to vote YES for SEIU when your ballot arrives next week. Then, send emails, make phone calls, and do whatever it takes to let your fellow adjuncts know how important this election is.
Congratulations on taking the next step toward a stronger voice at Montgomery College. Together, we will stand up for improvements for ourselves and the community we serve.
UPDATE FOR MC PART-TIME FACULTY (4/29)
Authorization cards approved by labor board, election date to be announced shortly, survey results summary announced
Students rallying in support of MC part-time facultyWith the college administration agreeing to remain neutral in the election process, the organizing committee submitted the authorization cards from Montgomery College part-time faculty to the labor board yesterday. We have just received word that the labor board has certified our cards and will be announcing the date of our election within the next few days. The election, which will be conducted via mail-in ballot, could be held as early as this week. Please keep checking back for further updates on our election process and, if you haven’t already, sign up for email updates so we can alert you as soon as we have more information.
With a possible election drawing near, we are moving forward with determining what part-time faculty would most like to see in a new contract. Part of that process is asking instructors to complete a pre-bargaining survey, which hundreds of you did. Based on the surveys submitted, here are the issues of most concern to part-time faculty:
51% - Pay improvements (increases to the base rate, cost-of-living pay increases, increases in pay for length of service at MC, etc.)
20% - Benefits enjoyed by fulltime faculty (Health insurance, retirement contributions, tuition waiver, use of fitness center, paid annual leave)
11% - Removing the limits on number of ESH that an adjunct is allowed to teach
10% - Protection against unfair or capricious termination or non-renewal
4% - Assurances on renewal of classes from semester to semester
2% - Representation on the Board of Trustees
Finally, if you haven't already, check out the photos from last week's student appreciation rally. Dozens of students came together to show their support for the great work part-time faculty do at Montgomery College!
UPDATE FOR MC PART-TIME FACULTY
College indicates intent to remain neutral in election, adjuncts urged to return surveys as soon as possible
Dear Fellow Teachers,
There have been some developments in the organizing campaign that we would like to inform you about.
MC adjuncts rally outside the Council Office Building.Testimony at Montgomery County Council: On Wednesday April 9, two teachers in MC Workforce Development and Continuing Education (including Wally Malakoff and Emily Ackerman) testified at the Council's budget hearings in support of full funding for the College and for improvements in teachers' compensation and conditions of employment. We also asked Councilmembers to urge the College to cease its delaying tactics and cooperate in a speedy union representation election for teachers. The Council was very supportive and several Councilmembers said they would speak to MC President Brian Johnson. The testimony was coordinated with SEIU Local Union 500 which has 8,000 school personnel members in MontgomeryCounty and is well respected by Councilmembers.
What is Montgomery College's Attitude Toward the Election and Union Representation? After the testimony and other efforts on our behalf by SEIU Local 500, Montgomery College president Brian Johnson yesterday issued a memo (below) to adjunct faculty. The memo states that the College will respect the right of adjunct faculty to be represented by the union if they so choose and that if Local 500 is voted in, the College will develop a good relationship with the union. This is encouraging and clears the way for part time teachers to vote for union representation.
The adjuncts and the union have taken the position that reference to adjuncts includes teachers (such as ESOL/GED teachers) in Workforce Development and Continuing Education. However, it is unclear if the College will try to exclude Workforce Development and Continuing Education from the election. If it does, the union has said it will advocate for us to be included.
Pre-Bargaining Survey: We are moving ahead under the assumption that we will be covered by the election. To help prepare for bargaining with the College (which will take place after we win the representation election), we urge all teachers to complete the pre-bargaining survey and drop it in the survey drop box or email it to info@seiu500cal.org. If neither works for you, mail it to Emily Ackerman at 8532 Manchester Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901.
What You Can Do To Help:
- Sign a union authorization card if you haven't already.
- Talk to other teachers about why you're supporting union representation and why they should sign a card. (We need everyone!)
- Complete the Pre-Bargaining Survey.
- Stay optimistic! Despite whatever delays we may encounter, the improvements from a contract for teachers, we believe, will be well worth the effort.
- Stay in touch – email or talk to us about concerns, questions, observations, etc. so we can make sure this campaign is responsive to our needs.
- Serve on the union organizing committee. It meets on Saturday mornings and includes adjunct professors from MC's three campuses as well as other teachers in Workforce Development and Continuing Education. Fill out this form to sign up.