Columbia, CA…It is with great disappointment that I announce that the District has formally and totally refused to negotiate with YFA over the advisory terms of the factfinding report during the 10-day period concluding impasse, as provided for under the state bargaining law. Accordingly, the YFA Executive Board has called for a strike for Spring Semester. We have no choice, as the District even refuses to meet during the last window required for negotiations.

YFA is immediately ready to use the report as a guide to negotiate resolution to this crisis, to act as quickly as
possible to ensure students have advanced notice of the state of negotiations and ensure there is ample time to
work out any details not covered by the advisory report. The District has refused, despite our entreaties.

YFA is willing to meet any time at any place, with any District representatives. We want to go over the report with
the District as intended and use it as a guide to resolve negotiations as soon as possible, now that we have a road
map. The purpose of the advisory report is to allow the parties to meet and negotiate using the advice of that report, and specifically gives a 10-day final opportunity to do so. After that 10 days, impasse is over and the obligation to negotiate concludes. After 10 days the District may impose its “last, best and final” offer on faculty and refuse to negotiate further.

We could not be more disappointed in this administration. The only logical conclusion is one we feared all along:
the District never intended to negotiate in good faith, always intended to delay and obfuscate and try to force YFA
to accept imposition, and wants to delay negotiations as long as possible so as to make advance notice of any
strike impossible for students, and manipulate those students into signing up for classes that may not occur.
Accordingly, YFA has no alternative.

The YFA Executive Board has voted to authorize a strike for January 14, 2019. More details will be forthcoming for faculty and then subsequently to the YCCD community. We feel, however, it is our professional duty to give faculty, staff, and most importantly students as much time as possible to prepare.

YFA has gone three years without a contract and the advisory report has been finalized. We are willing to
negotiate now, over the holidays, all day and all night. We are willing to use the advisory report as a guide but will not begin the spring semester without a contract in place when the District even refuses to meet and negotiate.

More details will be forthcoming as we work through the holidays on strike preparation. I want to thank students
for the joy and purpose they give us as faculty. I want to thank my colleagues for their never-ending support of
one another. I ask that over the holidays you keep one another in your hearts.