Collective Bargaining

The collective bargaining process begins when our existing contract is nearing expiration (spring semester of each academic year). GCFA serves as the exclusive bargaining agent for all faculty members in the district--whether or not faculty members are members of GCFA--and the college district is legally required to bargain in good faith with GCFA.

The process generally follows these stages:

1. Preparation:

   1. Both GCFA and the District form bargaining teams. GCFA's team is selected through the process outlined in the GCFA by-laws.

   2. GCFA leadership reviews and makes any modifications to a flexible, big-picture bargaining strategy, in consultation with Rep Council and eBoard.

2. Determine what gets opened for the upcoming bargaining cycle:

   1. Automatic Reopeners: By contract, some articles are automatically reopened every cycle: 

      1. Benefits (articles 27 & 30)

      2. Salary (article 23)*
         *unless a multi-year agreement is still in effect 

   2. Mutual Reopeners: GCFA and The District can mutually agree to open an article.

   3. Two (2) Non-Monetary Reopeners: Each side (GCFA and The District) can choose to open up to two (2) non-monetary articles. Once selected, no issues from additional articles can be discussed at the table.

      1. Once the previous tentative agreement is signed and before the next bargaining cycle begins (usually in the fall semester), the GCFA eBoard sends out a survey requesting faculty input on which non-monetary articles to open.

      2. The GCFA Rep Council meets to consider faculty input and give direction to the eBoard on which non-monetary articles to open.

      3. eBoard gives direction to the negotiations team for which non-monetary articles to reopen. 

      4. The District informs GCFA of up to two (2) non-monetary articles they choose to reopen.

3. At the beginning of the spring semester, GCFA's negotiating team meets with the District's negotiating team at the table to initiate negotiations.

4. GCFA maintains regular two-way communication with GCFA members through the GCFA Newsletter, eBoard open sessions, and Rep Council meetings. These opportunities enable faculty to stay informed, build awareness of the bargaining cycle process, and provide input that informs revisions to and the implementation of GCFA's bargaining strategy.