COLLEGE DISTRICT TO LET PART-TIME TEACHERS PICK THEIR UNION.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

VALENCIA - College of the Canyons' administration reached a settlement with a teachers union Tuesday that clears the way for part-timers to organize as a separate bargaining group after more than two years of legal wrangling.

In the agreement with the American Federation of Teachers, the Santa Clarita Community College District - which governs the Valencia campus - agreed to withdraw further court challenges that could delay elections and remain neutral in all organizing proceedings.

``We're happy to move ahead with the election,'' said Linda Cushing, an AFT national representative. ``It's what we've always wanted. We're saddened by the fact the district took such a long time.''

The settlement also requires a vote by the part-time instructors no later than Oct. 15 to decide whether they want to unionize, and with which group. It also gives the competing California Teachers Association an opportunity to make the ballot.

``We've worked on this in good faith,'' said Phil Hartley, the college's executive vice president. ``It's a constructive conclusion to a period of seeking answers to precedent-setting questions.''

The college district has been in a debate with the AFT and CTA unions over representation for the part-time instructors - or adjuncts - in labor negotiations. As of last fall, the college employed about 380 part-time teachers.

In 2001, the state Public Employment Relations Board allowed CTA, which already represents some 160 full-time instructors through the College of the Canyons Faculty Association, to organize the part-timers. The decision was also backed by the college.

But the AFT argued that it was up to the adjuncts to decide which union to organize under, and claimed the CTA had sidestepped that process when it failed to collect signatures of support.

PERB reversed its decision in January after two separate appeals.

The college district challenged the reversal in state appellate court in February, but the petition was denied last month, bringing both sides to the bargaining table.

``One of our options was to appeal to the California Supreme Court,'' said Hartley. ``But we chose not to do that.''

Under the settlement reached after more than two weeks of negotiations, the college agrees to stay out of the election. It also prevents department officials and administrators from retaliating against any part-time employee because of their choice.

Also, the CTA was provided a second window to qualify for the upcoming ballot. The CTA has until Sept. 5 to collect signatures from at least 30 percent of the adjuncts employed as of last spring to qualify for the upcoming ballot.

While Cushing is relieved a vote can finally take place, she claimed the prolonged legal fight led to lost work and undue grief for some adjuncts.

``It's had a materially detrimental affect on the part-time faculty,'' she said.

Hartley maintained College of the Canyons has always valued its adjuncts, noting those jobs were not scaled back during the current state fiscal crisis.

``Did we lay off part-time faculty? No we didn't,'' he said.

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com