The power of knowledge is great, so too is the power of numbers. We teach to educate and empower our students. We join unions to better our working conditions, improve our compensation, and obtain job security.
Since organizing, the Passaic County Community College Adjunct Faculty Federation has bettered working conditions by advocating for things, such as increased office space for adjunct faculty and the elimination of the sign-in requirement. We have increased our salary by 35 percent for adjunct faculty working seven semesters or more since 2005 and by 31 percent for adjunct faculty working fewer semesters since 2005. We have negotiated additional compensation improvements, such as orientation pay and a paid sick day.
With our fellow unionists from other colleges and universities, we have fought for things, such as health benefits and to protect our pensions. On the former we have obtained the right to buy into the State Health Benefits Program. On the latter we have obtained the right for people in PERS to remain there or choose to go to the ABP. We also fought back an attempt to prevent us from earning pension credit from more than one school.
Our successes have made improvements for us as adjunct faculty. However, we have a long way to go to end our second class unequal treatment. Worse than that, we have to be vigilant when it comes to defending what we have obtained. It is only through numbers and active participation that we can succeed. Thank our activists; thank our members. Join our activists; join our members. Numbers and activism will strengthen us, and we must be strong if we are to succeed.
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