Part- time Columbia faculty stages walkout

Members and supporters of PFAC, the union representing part- time faculty at Columbia College Chicago, picketed outside the college’s South Loop campus on Thursday for the second time in as many days in protest of what they allege to be unfair contract proposals by the administration.

The chief concern, according to those taking part in the scheduled two- day strike, was job stability for union members.

“Job security is the key,” said PFAC President Diana Vallera. “If they come up with some decent offers where it doesn’t remove all our gains from the last con- tract and they stop trying to degrade the quality of education, then yes, of course we’ll work with them.”

Columbia contends that efforts were made to start the negotiation process in August 2016, but PFAC refused to come to the table until July 2017. The PFAC contract expired on Aug. 31, 2017, and the college asked that it be extended, but the union refused, according to Columbia.

Vallera said that teaching positions long held by union members of PFAC are now being delegated to other nonunion faculty members. For its part, Columbia has said the union wants to keep a course-assignment system that “is based exclusively on how long a faculty member has been at Columbia.” The college has asked that instructors in 125 of the 1,500 positions sought by PFAC members be chosen by the heads of different college departments.

Columbia spokesman Mark Rosati said in a statement that the college had sought the assistance of a federal mediator to help contract negotiations proceed.

“The federal mediator offered twice last week to have mediation sessions,” Rosati said. “The college accepted; the union declined.”

Another bargaining session is set for today.