Peralta Faculty Endorses Incumbents in Trustees Races

The union representing faculty at the Peralta Colleges has endorsed incumbents Dr. Bill Riley and Linda Handy for the November 2 trustees races in Area 3 and Area 5.

The Political Action Committee (PAC) for the Peralta Federation of Teachers (PFT), the union representing faculty at the four college district voted on September 2 to endorse three-term incumbent Dr. William Riley in Trustee Area 5.

The incumbents of the beleaguered board are being endorsed primarily because they voted to extend PFT’s contract.

“Riley shows a clearer understanding of Peralta’s challenges than Mattox does,” said Matthew Goldstein, chair of PFT’s PAC. “Further, Riley supported our contract extension last year, and he’s been unequivocal in his support for maintaining employee benefits at their current levels.”

Although the PAC voted to endorse Riley the same night, it appears there was much debate in the race for Area 3. After weeks of discussion, PFT’s PAC voted to endorse two-term incumbent Linda Handy.

[/caption]“She (Handy) vowed to keep employee benefits in place and to make a bigger effort to respond to faculty needs and concerns in the years ahead,” Goldstein said. “Further, she’s a strong campaigner with lots of community support. Faculty would only benefit from cultivating a better working relationship with her.”

Goldstein added that Tell might be a factor in a future election.

“Tell is an appealing candidate in many ways, but her command of the practical aspects of campaigning appears unsure, and her positions on key issues sometimes seem under-considered,” Goldstein explained as the reason for the extended debate. “She may well be a legitimate contender in future races.”

Many were surprised that faculty would endorse incumbents on a board that has been rocked by controversy over the past year. An Alameda County Grand Jury found that the board did not know its own policies and failed to provide oversight, jeopardizing the district's accreditation.

“Doing the same thing over and over, and over, that’s insanity,” said Mattox in an interview at Laney College on September 28. A total of three seats are up for up on the trustees board.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Trustee Abel Guillen"][/caption]PFT unanimously endorsed current board president Abel Guillen back in June. The early endorsement was unprecedented, leading some to speculate it is the reason he is running unopposed.

“He’s been the faculty’s most reliable advocate on the board for the last four years,” Goldstein said. “We wish all board members would return emails and phone calls as dependably as Abel.”

In 2006, PFT’s support of Guillen was crucial in his campaign to unseat two-term incumbent Alona Clifton. Running unopposed this year, his name will not appear on the ballot.

“Memorably, PFT PAC's work over the last decade helped oust powerful incumbents who supported failing chancellors and voracious developers over faculty interests,” Goldstein said of PFT’s influence. “We don’t control outcomes, but our enthusiastic backing can make a significant difference.”