The COVID MOU committee would like to update you on the current status of negotiations. A full agreement has not been reached because of several items as shown below.

Items to most likely remain the same as previous MOU:

1. Asynchronous Instruction requires DE Certification
2. Synchronous Instruction does not require DE Certification
3. Adjunct and Probationary Faculty teaching online will be evaluated in the modified format adopted December 14, 2020.

Here’s the link to the old MOU for reference: https://aft1388.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MOU3-COVID-19-EXECUTED.pdf

Items yet to be agreed upon:

1. Vaccination employer mandate
2. Required DE certification for flexible teaching format
3. Deans/directors able to change faculty’s choice of teaching modality
4. Stipends and more descriptive safety language

Details for items listed above:

The District requests mandatory vaccination for returning instructors. The Federation acknowledges that all vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 are currently available by Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). The Federation does support federal guidance on vaccinations but also supports its members’ autonomy, particularly in light of the vaccine’s current EUA status. Additionally, vaccination requirements should not exceed legal mandates by the state or federal government. 

The District requests a requirement for faculty teaching the flexible format to be DE-certified. The previous three MOUs did not impose an additional DE certification requirement on flexible instructors. During the SP21 MOU negotiations, the District proposed that DE-certified flexible instructors were necessary to maintain quality of instruction and meet student needs. When asked to present data to that effect, the District was unable to do so, but is still adamant about the change. Lack of evidence-based decision making by the administration does not warrant the change in working conditions.The Federation has suggested the District engage in data collection to support their demand for the FA21 MOU.   

The District requests giving deans/directors the ability to change a faculty member’s teaching modality choice. It’s not truly a choice if the District can ultimately decide the teaching modality. It further puts faculty at a disadvantage because faculty may make plans, such as childcare, based upon a chosen modality, only to have the District change that modality and uproot those plans. Changes would be especially impactful on PT faculty.

The Federation has requested additional stipends and more descriptive safety language for all of the additional faculty work and risk, respectively. The District has outright rejected these proposals.

Contact the Federation or ECC District with questions or input.

• Jane Miyashiro – Principal Negotiator for the District – jmiyashiro@elcamino.edu
• ECC Federation – eccfederation@gmail.com