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NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE Negotiations Team |
The Negotiations Team is starting to plan its work for the 2002/2003 contract year.
The District and SEIU reopen on the Agreement annually by developing "interests" of each team and submitting those interests to the Board. Negotiations commence as soon as possible after the Board acknowledges each party's interests and at a time mutually agreed upon between the parties.
The current contract states that we will automatically reopen on the issues of Pay and Allowances, and Health and Welfare Benefits. This year we can reopen on two additional issues of our choice.
We would like your ideas and suggestions on ALL the reopeners. Look over the contract and communicate your ideas and suggestions via e-mail. If you do not have e-mail, use voice-mail or campus "ground" mail. If you want clarification on a contract item, please contact one of us.
We would appreciate your input by Wednesday, May 8th.
Negotiations Team
Shirley Davis, MCL Lab, x4889
John Hemmenway, Staff Dev. Center, x4748
Jeff Holzworth, Campus Police, x1821
Charles Gachet, Petaluma Fac. Ops., x2414
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BOND MEASURE Editor |
This seems like such old news because our last newsletter came out before the vote, but SEIU
supported this successful campaign quite vigorously:
* Wende Wahl organized shifts and distributed "prizes" donated by the Local to those who worked the phone banks.
* Wende, Shirley Davis, Doug Kuula, and John Hemenway brought salads and desserts to augment the pizza that the campaign provided, only to discover that the entire football team was also working the phone banks that night!
* Caitlin Downing, Bill Lambert, Ann Samson, Cole Perry, our field rep., Steve OKeefe, Wende, Shirley, Doug, and John worked several nights, and some of them worked the final weekend on the phone banks, along with members of the Board.
* John Mercer installed a huge "Yes on A" sign on his flatbed truck, drove it back and forth between work and home, and parked it visibly in the Bailey Lot for weeks.
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RECLASSIFICATION UPDATE Carol Wolfe |
Please be advised that the moratorium on classified staff reclassifications will be lifted on a limited basis at the expiration of the current contract on July 1, 2002.
Contract Article 19 Classification/ Reclassification, section 19.1.3 states:
"Effective 2002-2003, SEIU may request up to three reclassification studies per year which cover all the positions in a particular classification.... or a series of classes... Each individual classification or series in a [job] family will not be studied more than once every five years, unless otherwise mutually agreed."
Please see Contract Article 19, page 83, for additional information and timelines.
Individuals may request reclassification by sending a letter of interest to SEIU, care of John Mercer. However, please keep in mind that we are severely limited in the number of requests we may forward for review. Also, if a classification is chosen for review, all incumbents' positions in that classification will receive a review, not just the individual making the request.
Reclassification review may result in higher, lower, or same grade placement.
The Classified Advisory Council is currently developing criteria for choosing the three classifications to be reviewed in the coming year in an effort to be as fair as possible to every one in the unit.
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BYLAWS REVISIONS Classified Advisory Council |
As you are well aware, our bylaws are very old; the CAC has been working hard, with the support of Michael Allen, general manager of Local 707, to revise them so they reflect our current organization. Shirley Davis and Wende Wahl have spent many nights and weekends drafting and revising, and the entire CAC has spent many additional hours reviewing them and revising them further.
When they are in a form suitable to present to you, the general membership, Frank Job will post them on the website, and we will send hard copies to each member. Thirty days later, we will hold a general membership meeting to discuss their provisions and to vote on them.
These bylaws will define the timing and manner of election of officers and negotiators, the distinctions between members and fee payers, the configuration of an executive council, and the business this council will conduct on behalf of the membership.
While none of this activity involves money, which seems to really pack the meeting rooms, it is vital to our health as an organization because it involves the way in which we make decisions. Please pay careful attention to the proposed bylaws you may view on the web and will get in the mail. Come to the posted meeting ready to discuss this proposal and to participate in its final form.
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HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT Ann Samson |
The arbitration hearing on this grievance was held in late February; and it took nearly all day. SEIU Local 707 was represented by a union selected attorney, and our field representative, Steve O'Keefe. The District was represented by their attorney, Karen Furukawa, and Ron Root. The arbitrator is a local attorney who is very experienced at such hearings. Both sides have submitted their final arguments in writing, and we expect to hear the arbitrator's ruling any day.
In the meantime, we just finished spring break and are approaching the summer 4/10s. During these periods, opportunities to adjust our work hours and days appear. Sometimes, because school is not in session, managers look at this period as an opportunity to rearrange tasks and schedules to take advantage of this lull in activity. If you are asked to drastically change your work schedule for such a period, please do not agree to it without consulting a steward or our Local staff. Call the Stewards' Shop at x2758, and we'll go over the contract language with you and consult with you about this situation; if necessary and appropriate, we'll bring in the Local staff.
Any time we agree to violate the provisions of our contract, we endanger the whole agreement. You may not realize that accommodating a manager's request could jeopardize you or your coworkers at a later time.