Membership
The strength and effectiveness of the union is dependent on member participation and involvement. By joining the union, you demonstrate that you want:
- To be part of an education community working to improve the lives of faculty and staff in the California community colleges
- To have a reliable union you can call on when you’re having trouble in the workplace
- To demonstrate to the District that a contract cannot be approved without your vote
- To promote participation in and support for unions and to support and organize non-represented workers
- To be part of state- and nation-wide organizations (the CFT and AFT) that advocate in Sacramento and Washington for: student success and access, decent compensation for teachers, health and retirement benefits, academic freedom, fairness and equity, and other issues related to education
- To be a part of your regional AFL-CIO affiliated Central Labor Council, which unites union members for all walks of life in your area; the California Labor Federation, which works on your behalf to protect and improve the rights of all working people in California; and the national AFL-CIO, which unites and advocates for workers across the nation
Benefits of union membership:
Right to vote in union elections
Only union members can vote on or serve as union representatives and leaders.
Right to vote on contract ratification
The union represents all unit members (faculty) at the bargaining table. Unit members are included in contract development surveys and other opportunities for input into the negotiations and ratification process. However, only union members get to vote on contract ratification.
Occupational liability insurance, scholarships, and other discount programs:
- Access to a million dollar occupational liability insurance
- Access to an AFT legal action trust
- Access to various union scholarships
- Access to various services and discounts through our national affiliate, the AFT
- MasterCard: no annual fee, skip-payment privileges during a strike
- Low-cost group insurance plans: term life, hospital income, disability income (short and long term), accidental death, catastrophe, Care Plus (retirees)
- Home mortgage: competitive rates, low down payments
- Education loans: affordable education loans from Sallie Mae
- Prescription drugs: discounts and free delivery
- Legal: free 30-minute consultation with a union-friendly attorney, reduced rate personal legal service
- Loans: low-interest personal loans ($2,500 to $15,000)
- Dental and Vision: average of 20% - 50% savings
- Magazines: the very lowest prices on magazine subscriptions
- Theme Parks: discount packages available online
- Flowers: 15% discount for orders of $30 or more
- Educational tours: international travel for educators and students
- Plus lots more benefits for AFT members
Not sure if you’re a union member
A deduction from your paycheck does NOT necessarily mean that you are a union member. To become a member, you must have completed a membership card (hard copies are light blue).
All Cabrillo College faculty members must decide whether to join the union or pay a service fee—called an agency fee—that is equal to union dues (each agency fee payers may request a modest reduction). The default status is agency fee; thus, if you have not completed a membership card you are paying agency fees, not union dues.
Become a member
If you would like to become a member, please complete a membership card, and send it to the CCFT mailbox on the main Cabrillo Campus (6500 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA 95003).
Activate your AFT membership card online
Click on the following link to activate your card: www.aft.org/members/. Note that new members should receive an AFT membership card about a month after becoming a member.
Questions?
Contact your division representative, a CCFT officer or the CCFT office (464-2238).