Negotiations Update 6 November 2026

15 minutes ago

6 min read

The comet is coming back, and so is an opportunity to move forward together! With a permanent president selected and trustee elections underway, we’re hoping for greater stability and renewed momentum around the work ahead. Now more than ever, our collective voice, our organizing, and our shared priorities matter. Our contract; our future; our Palomar. 💫

📌 AY 28-29 Calendar (District)

After a strong PFF counterproposal with thorough rationale derived from all of your feedback, the District agreed to keep the Fall 2028 start date consistent with past semesters instead of moving it one week sooner in August.

The District countered with a proposal to adjust our grading due dates to 5 calendar days instead of 5 business days, citing a significant increase in workload to process grades in time for students. PFF is concerned about the negative impacts of shortening the window for grading on faculty workload and quality feedback provided to students. We will be prepared to counter at one of our sessions in December.

📌 Article 5 Nondiscrimination (District)

In September, PFF presented more thorough language in the nondiscrimination article. The District countered by agreeing to most of the added classifications that were proposed, with some additional cleanup language. This is strong movement, and we are very close to TAing on this article. PFF will be prepared to counter at our next meeting.

📌 Article 8 Class Maximums (District)

In a particularly frustrating move, the District refused to agree once again to codifying existing parameters around large class cap stipends and criteria for negotiating lower class caps. PFF believes this is a serious change in interpretation from class caps previous bargaining sessions, and we will respond accordingly. The District did agree to standardizing language for class caps, but proposed once again that negotiated class caps would not apply for online classes. When we asked if this would apply to classes like writing classes that have been reduced to 25 for writing-intensive instruction, the District confirmed that their intent was to raise those class caps to 42 in online spaces. Increasing class caps in online spaces is a line we will not cross. PFF will be prepared with our third counterproposal at the next meeting.

❌ Article 12 Department Chairs/Directors (District)

On October 27th, the District committed to bringing Article 12 to today’s negotiations. Less than 24 hours before the session, they included Article 12 on the agenda. But when we met, the District pulled this item from the agenda. As a note, PFF asked when we sunshined all articles for the 25-28 contract that Article 12 be prioritized.

❌ Article 4 Workload & Calendar (District)

On October 27th, the District committed to bringing Article 4 to today’s negotiations. This was not included on the agenda or presented at today’s session.

❌ MOU Public Safety/EME Academies (District)

PFF & the District agreed to extend the terms of the temporary MOU we have in place to keep our academies running, so that we had more time to negotiate the inclusion of this new category of faculty in our CBA. PFF gave our proposal with a collection of letters of support from impacted faculty in Fire and EME as well as perspectives from the Police Academy. The District did not bring a counter to our session today, and the temporary MOU expires next week. It is disappointing to see these important areas live in limbo because we can’t get counters from the District.

📌 Article 28 Dual Enrollment (PFF)

We are down to just one line in this article. PFF adjusted the language slightly and expect to see agreement soon. This is a big win as we have been working hard to have agreed-upon parameters around dual enrollment included in our CBA.

✅ MOU CAI Project Lead (PFF)

The parties agreed to this grant-funded MOU.

📌 MOU MIL Coordinator (PFF)

Per faculty feedback, PFF countered with adjustments to the workload expected for this temporary, grant-funded position.

📌 MOU Class Caps New Column (PFF)

PFF proposed a simple addition of a column to our primary class caps list to indicate classes that are included in the large class cap stipend MOU for clarity purposes.

📌 MOU Implementing AP 4021/Revitalization (PFF)

In 2025, EESSC approved the first revitalization project under AP 4021: Reading. In response to legislation like AB 705 & AB 1705 as well as the changing landscape of reading in the age of new technology, EESSC approved a taskforce to explore new opportunities for reading at Palomar. The goal is to rethink reading instruction to better meet the needs of our students. After more than a year of work, the taskforce developed a revitalization plan under AP 4021, outlining creative opportunities to integrate reading instruction in new ways. EESSC recommended the plan to the Program Development, Revitalization, and/or Discontinuance Committee, where it was approved to be implemented! Palomar now has two years to put this plan into action.

PFF recognizes that implementing this plan requires institutional support, which is why we brought forward a proposal calling on the District to demonstrate a commitment to these efforts. The nature of these conversations reflected the District’s lack of understanding of its own AP 4021 process and the importance of consulting those who helped develop and approve the plan before taking positions at the bargaining table. Regardless of our personal feelings on a proposal, PFF makes every effort to represent faculty needs by gathering feedback at every turn and bringing forward proposals that reflect faculty support. We expect the District to demonstrate the same commitment.

Discussion

Initial Step Placement & PT Step Increase - PFF and the District agreed to have a separate meeting to review our current practices and the language in the CBA to ensure faculty are appropriately placed and advanced.

Part-time Office Hour Filing Receipt - PFF again advocated for a receipt system in place by the end of the semester in order to avoid the confusion we experienced at the end of the Spring semester.

DE Coordinator - Of note, the District did not provide answers to the questions we asked at our last session around the creation of a new Distance Education permanent position. We will be gathering feedback at PFF on Thursday, November 12th; at Faculty Senate on Monday, November 16th; at the DE Committee on Wednesday, November 18th; and via survey.

Please check out our Negotiations Tracker:

🎉 7 Articles Tentatively Agreed and waiting for Ratification Article 9 (Leaves) Article 10 (Professional Development) Article 11 (Personnel Files) Article 13 (Safety) Article 21 (Savings) Article 25 (Intellectual Property) Article 27 (Resignations) 28 Articles, Counters, and MOUs Pending
District Pending Proposals	District Pending Counters	PFF Pending Proposals	PFF Pending Counters
8 initial proposals	12 counterproposals	3 initial proposals	5 counterproposals
Article 1 -Agreement Article 6 - Union Rights Article 12 -Department Chairs/Coordinators Article 24 -Professional Responsibilities Appendix B Appendix C Appendix E Appendix L	Article 4 - Workload & Calendar D 8-10-26 PFF Counter #1: 9-21-26 Article 16 - Benefits & Appendix E D Proposal: 5-20-26 PFF Counter #1: 6-17-26 Article 20 - Working Conditions PFF Proposal: 10-20-26 Article 26 - Broadcast & Recording Instruction PFF Proposal: 8-10-26 Article 28 - Dual Enrollment PFF Proposal: 6-17-26 D Counter #1: 9-29-26 PFF Counter #1: 9-29-26 D Counter #2: 10-27-26 PFF Counter #2: 11-6-26 Appendix F - Reassigned Time & Stipends PFF Proposal: 10-27-26 MOU_TERB Noninstructional Forms PFF Proposal: 8-10-26 Coaches’ Addendum: 9-21-26 PFF Counter #1: 10-27-26 MOU_Public Safety/EME Academies D Proposal: 10-20-26 PFF Counter #1: 10-27-26 MOU_Implementing AB 65 PFF Proposal: 9-4-26 D Counter #1: 10-20-26 PFF Counter #1: 10-27-26 D Counter #2: 10-27-26 PFF Counter #2: 10-27-26 MOU_Implementing Revitalization PFF Proposal: 11-6-26 MOU_MIL Coordinator D Proposal: 10-27-26 PFF Proposal: 11-6-26 MOU_Class Caps New Column PFF Proposal: 11-6-26	Article 7 - District Rights Article 23 - No Concerted Refusal to Work Appendix H - Coaches	Article 5 - Nondiscrimination PFF Proposal: 9-29-26 D Counter #1: 11-6-26 Article 8 - Class Maximums D 3-5-26 (recd 4-7-26) PFF Counter #1: 4-23-26 D Counter #1: 8-10-26 PFF Counter #2: 9-4-26 D Counter #2: 11-6-26 Article 15 - Compensation PFF Proposal: 2-4-26 D Counter #1: 5-6-26 MOU_DE Coordinator D Proposal: 10-27-26 MOU_28-29 Calendar D Proposal: 8-10-26 Info Request Recd: 10-9-26 PFF Counter #1: 10-20-26 D Counter #1: 11-6-26

Next meetings:

Tuesday, December 1st
Friday, December 4th

Signing off—but still here for every comma, clause, and cause.

Your PFF Negotiations Team