Union Solidarity and the Members’ Bill of Rights

By Art Jenkins, LRCFT ARC Campus Union President

“Solidarity means protecting one another’s rights — with courage and through connection.”

The LRCFT Members’ Bill of Rights affirms our collective power as faculty at American River College. All bargaining unit members — including full- and part-time faculty represented by LRCFT — are guaranteed the protections outlined in this document.

Bargaining unit members have the right to representation in work-related contractual issues, freedom of speech and assembly, and to form independent caucuses and meetings. These rights also include protection from harm and unfair treatment, access to internal operating documents, and the right to copies of the collective bargaining agreement.

Members also have the right to participate fully in LRCFT, CFT, and AFT elections — including voting, nominating candidates, running for office, and voting on contract ratifications.

These rights are more than words on paper; they are safeguards in action. When faculty face workplace challenges, these protections ensure support, transparency, and procedural integrity — the foundation of dignity and respect. They preserve our ability to speak up, organize, and advocate for one another.

Faculty members live out these rights every day — by attending Executive Board meetings and making public comments, joining union gatherings, and fostering community through open conversations. Through these connections, we raise shared concerns that affect both full- and part-time faculty: ensuring fair pay and salary placement, addressing rising health insurance costs and coverage delays, managing growing workloads, and advocating for appropriate office space. Each act of engaging issues — no matter how big or small — strengthens our culture of solidarity and reaffirms our shared purpose.

Know your rights. Use your voice. Strengthen our Union.