Dear faculty,
Happy Spring!
What happens to faculty after the spring break? One common answer among many – workload tends to increase with equivalent stress levels. Stress levels may also be compounded by the uncertainty, and certainty, of the Federal Governments attacks on our communities of; Indigenous Americans, women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, undocumented (and documented) citizens, HSI, DEIA, international students, labor unions, and just about all minoritized and protected class Americans. Some relief comes from your faculty union as we continue to unite and work hard in support and advocacy for a stronger contract focused on workload issues, safety, equitable benefits for all faculty, fair compensation, and more. However, this hard work depends on the voice of many and it is non-stop. I encourage you to read through this newsletter to find out how you can use your voice to help build and strengthen your faculty union. Remember this, the Districts primary focus is on efficiency.
Congratulations to CCFT Vice President, Full-time – Kim Mansfield, the CCFT Unionist of the Year! Kim’s dedicated service to Cabrillo faculty and union work will be celebrated, with many other unionists, at the annual Monterey Bay Central Labor Council awards ceremony on Friday, April 25th, in Monterey.
Sharing more good news from Eve Hinkley, Library Science –
Hello CCFT Friends,
As a recipient of your generosity, let me please express my deepest gratitude to all of you! (The donors are kept confidential, so this is the only avenue to give my thanks).
Your generous sick-leave donations helped me get through difficult therapies and stabilized my income, which contributed to my well-being during those challenging lo-o-o-ng months. Your donations made ALL the difference!
Thanks to Tobin, Daniel, and especially Nahara for holding my hand throughout. I appreciate you!
I do have good news: April 15th I was declared cancer-free! And I am back in the Library!
In Love, Gratitude, and Solidarity,
Eve
In solidarity,
Tobin W. Keller
CCFT President, 2019-2025
Upcoming Meetings, Events, and Opportunities
Check the Spring 2025 Events Calendar for More on Local Events!
Reel Work Labor Film Festival Begins!
The 24th annual Reel Work Labor Film Festival starts soon! Please see our curated schedule of FANTASTIC movies below.
The Reel Work Labor Film Festival is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. Most events are free, and all donations collected are used to support the Reel Work Labor Film Festival.
Visit www.ReelWork.org for info regarding our movies, discussions, events, and updates.
Your Voice Matters – Become a Council Representative
Each division is entitled to representatives on the CCFT Council, and we currently have open seats for the 2025-2027 term! If you’re a dues-paying CCFT member, we encourage you to step into this important role. CCFT plays a key part in negotiating our contract and advocating for faculty on critical issues—your voice matters!
What Does a Council Representative Do?
✔ Attend Council meetings and participate in subcommittees
✔ Share CCFT updates and announcements with your colleagues
✔ Represent your division by voicing concerns and advocating for faculty needs
✔ Assist with outreach efforts
We are a diverse, engaged, and welcoming group, and we’d love to have you join us in representing your division! Keep an eye on your inbox for nomination forms coming soon.
If you have any questions or want to learn more, feel free to reach out to any of our current council members or some of your Executive Board Members:
📩 Daniel Dodge – CCFT Executive Director
📩 Kim Mansfield – CCFT VP
📩 Tobin Keller – CCFT President
Call for Nominations:
The call for nominations for the positions listed below will be April 21st – May 4th, and voting will be held May 9th-18th. Results will be announced on May 19th.
Executive Board:
Treasurer – Steve Hodges
Council:
ELLA – (BELA) 4 seats – 3 open seats
BSS – (HASS) 6 seats – Cassidy Sterling and Emily Dansker to rerun + 1 open seat
HPS – (HAWK) 6 seats – 3 open seats
STEM – (NAS) 7 seats – Lenny Leum to rerun + 3 open seats
VAPA – 5 seats – Heather Gray & Leslie Murray to rerun + 2 open seats
CEWD – (NEW )1 seat –1 open seat
ACCESS – 2 seats – 1 open
Health Services – 1 Seat – 0 Seats open
WATS – 2 seats – Trista Bailey to rerun – 1 open seat
LIB & TASS – 1 seat – 1 open seat
Organizing Update
Outreach
We will be reaching out to new faculty during the month of May, to learn more about faculty issues and to share updates from CCFT. You may have already received a call or email from us. We look forward to meeting with you in person in the coming weeks.
General Membership Meeting
We will be holding a General Membership meeting in early May via Zoom. Please plan to attend! Details will be sent out soon.
Associate Faculty Updates
Updated and on Canvas: CCFT Associate Faculty Resources and Guide.
The Associate Faculty Committee’s last meeting of the Spring Semester is on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 3–4:30 pm in Aptos CTC 1403 and on Zoom. Join us to discuss issues particular to part-time faculty and learn more about our faculty union and our contract. Bring any questions or concerns you have, or stop by to learn more and meet fellow faculty members. All are welcome — Drop in!
Save the Date! Our Unemployment Workshop for Associate Faculty will be Thursday, May 29, 2025 3-4 pm on Zoom.
Negotiations Update
Next Meeting with the District – Monday 4/28/25
The negotiations team has been meeting to set priorities in order to be ready to make proposals from our sunshine list. Retirement benefits for associate faculty are being reconsidered. Current three choices are STRS, Apple, Social Security.
The Governors May revise numbers will help with a compensation proposal. Negotiations go into June to take into account governor’s final budget. Join us to speak our minds to the district at the May 5th Board of Trustees meeting, 6:15 public comments begin. Meeting is HORT 5001.
Benefits negotiation update. District wants to eliminate $10 co-pay at HMO for cost saving of 133K. Move the 40 enrollees over to $25 HMO co-pay plan. Savings of this move would be rolled into the 8.28% increase to the total benefit cost (medical and dental) which is shared with the district. This would take effect in October if approved at the bargaining table.
May Day rallies – Mass rallies are being planned across the state to recognize May Day, including in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Ventura, and more. For information on these rallies and others throughout the state, go to the May Day Strong website.
Executive Director’s Report:
Hello Brothers and Sisters,
Can you believe graduation is just a few weeks away? It’s been a busy month both on campus and out in the community!
CCFT staff had the opportunity to attend the César Chávez March events in Delano, where over five thousand union members gathered to celebrate Chávez’s legacy and community unity. This year’s march theme, “Con Estas Manos / With These Hands,” honored the vital contributions of immigrant workers to our society.
We also recently participated in CFT Lobby Days in Sacramento. Delegations of CFT members from across the state met with legislators to share our union’s legislative priorities. (Here is the link to the 2025 Legislative Priorities CFT Sponsored Legislative
Looking ahead, the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council (MBCLC) will host its annual Labor Dinner on April 25th in Monterey. We’re proud to announce that CCFT’s own Kimberly Mansfield will be honored that evening for her years of service and dedication to our union. She will be recognized alongside other unionists by federal, state, and local leaders. ¡Sí Se Puede, Kim!
Finally, join us on May 1st at the Watsonville Plaza for the Worker’s Day of Action. Union members from across Santa Cruz County including MBCLC, CCFT, and many others—will come together to celebrate working families, uplift our union siblings, and support our immigrant communities. The event starts at 4:30 PM. Bring a sign, banner, and most importantly, your voice ! We’ll be exercising our First Amendment rights loud and proud!
Building our Strength
CCFT is your Faculty Union. We negotiate on your behalf. We advocate for faculty in shared governance. We work with our affiliate unions at the state and national levels to protect public education and workers’ rights.
If you have not yet become a member, please use this online membership form to join us. Your voice and your participation make us stronger.
When you join, you may also contribute to our Committee on Political Education (COPE) to support candidates and campaigns that align with our values. You may update your membership and COPE contribution anytime.
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @ccft4400