We, the undersigned faculty members of the San Mateo County Community College District support a change of the contract between the District and AFT 1493 to explicitly ensure that, when a faculty grievance goes to arbitration, the decision made by the arbitrator be binding rather than advisory. Upon the completion of an arbitration hearing, once a decision is made by an arbitrator, this decision must be final and may not be over-ruled by the Districts Board of Trustees.

A professional impartial arbitrator is assured through Article 17.5.2 of the contract, which specifies that when a faculty grievance goes to arbitration, the arbitrator is agreed to by the AFT and the District from a list provided by the California State Conciliation Service. With binding arbitration, both the district and the AFT will be able to limit the costs incurred in the resolution of grievances in a manner that is fair and impartial to both parties. Binding arbitration is standard contract language in the overwhelming majority of California community college districts that are represented by AFT. Our neighboring districts, Foothill-DeAnza, San Francisco, Marin, Peralta, Chabot-Las Positas, San Jose-Evergreen and Contra Costa, all have binding arbitration. The San Mateo Community College District must now agree to this standard.