June 2003

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I have been selected by the Classified Executive Council (CEC) to serve as the interim CEC President for the next year. I will be taking over the position from Wende Wahl who had to resign due to health concerns. I would like to take this time to introduce myself and discuss some of the goals and challenges that our unit faces.
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I've been at SRJC as a student, student worker, short-term non-continuing (STNC), and regular classified since the spring of 1979. I've been working in the English Department since 1988, and am currently a Microcomputer Lab Specialist II.
Besides being on the Classified Executive Council, I have served on the Classified Staff Development Committee, the President's Evaluation Committee, and the Institutional Planning Council where I've worked on the institutional goals and mission statement subcommittees.
I have served as SRJC representative to the SEIU Local 707 Board of Directors for three and a half years. I am currently six months into my second term as Vice President of Local 707, where I sit on the Personnel Committee, Budget Committee, Facilities Committee, Technology Committee, General Manager Succession Planning Committee, and chair the Policy Committee.
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The Unprecedented Times: Goals and Challenges
The challenges we face as a unit are unprecedented, so must be our goals. Never have we had such cut backs with such uncertainty for the future. Never have we been asked to do what this board is demanding us to do: Pay for health care. Not because they have to, but because they want to.
Meanwhile, we are going through a district wide reclassification study. And yet now with the JC reducing its staff, our workloads are increasing and our jobs changing, as duties once done by others are absorbed into our own routines. Like the amount and quality of support from the department offices and services centers, whose staff and supplies have been stripped to bare bones. Like the amount and quality of supervision from supervisors, whose reassigned time has been cut back or eliminated. Like the amount and quality of work from STNCs, student staffers, and colleagues, who are just not there anymore.
Let's see, work not in the job descriptions, and done under less supervision, hmmm? Do I smell working-out-of-class pay? For the whole classified unit?
What the Board of Trustees has not realized yet is that: "We are hanging in there, like the troopers we are." Instead of being asked to pay more, we should be praised and paid more!

Dear Wende:
As the person who recruited you to serve as President of the Classified Executive Council, I want to thank you for your service over this past year-for your willingness to serve in a position that is evidently not appealing to many and for the quality of that service.
You brought a rare combination of playfulness and diligence to this job. You personally served on a number of important committees that had been neglected; you oversaw revision of our unit's bylaws; you brought order to the Committees Roster (which Maria Gaitan had been begging us to do for years); you crunched numbers and watched legislation; you ran tight meetings; you delivered good news and bad; and yet you invented reasons to give people prizes at meetings; you planned parties and get-togethers; you traveled to Petaluma and Windsor and took your prizes with you. Our members knew your face and your voice and your smile.
Although you step back into the ranks reluctantly, you do so to take care of yourself and not because you are discouraged or "burned out". In the words of one of Labor's senior organizers, Fred Ross, "You don't develop new leaders; you push people into taking action by not doing it yourself. You are then providing them with the opportunity to become aware of their own capabilities."
You became a leader and are now giving others the opportunity.
Thank you,
Ann Samson

According to Article 19 of our union contract, the District is required to review 3 classifications/families a year that are designated by the SEIU Negotiation Team. The groups chosen for this year were the Administrative Assistant Family, Custodial Technicians and the Bookstore Positions. Because the Bookstore was in the middle of a reorganization, those positions went to the Board in May and have already been completed. The Classification Review Committee sent out the packets for the remaining positions.
The Committee does understand that some individuals will be on vacation for some portion of the month of June and request if you need an extension to notify us as soon as possible. Please do not wait until 4:30pm the day before you are leaving as there may not be enough time to find a reasonable solution. I know that this process can be a source of frustration and anxiety for some of you and others have been waiting for this opportunity to make some adjustments to your job descriptions. Becky Brown (ext.4626) has agreed to serve as a "coach" for the Administrative Assistants and Ann Samson (ext.4601) will work with the Custodial Techs.
A major portion of the participants will be able to use their old PDQ as a "draft" for the one to be submitted. If someone feels that his or her position has not changed, the old PDQ can be copied (keep your old master) with an attached statement saying that no change has happened. For others, it would help the committee if an addendum page is attached, clearly stating what the changes are. There are a handful of people who are required to complete the PDQ for the first time and I highly encourage you to utilize your coach and to start working on it immediately.
Below you will see a time-line for the process and ask that everyone make a vigorous effort to meet the deadlines as there are approximately 80 people involved in this process and the committee wants to keep our agreement to follow our timelines also. If there are any questions please feel free to call me at ext. 1882.

Proposed Timelines for Classification Review Administrative Assistant Family & Custodial Technicians
6/1/03
Position Description Questionnaires (PDQs) mailed out

• Revise form
• Develop cover letter
• PDQ form posted on web site
• Coaches available
• List of employees included in classifications
• Order labels

6/30/03
Completed PDQs returned

• Copy PDQs for each committee member
• If employee doesn't complete a PDQ, they will be notified that we will either use their old PDQ or have the manager complete it. We will be asking employees to document that they have waived their input.

7/15/03
Committee reviews PDQs and revises job descriptions

• Location (Pedroncelli?)
• Schedule dates and times
• Job descriptions prepared or old ones revised

8/1/03
Job description approval

• Job descriptions submitted to employee and supervisor for approval

8/8/03
Approved job descriptions submitted to CRC

• Committee measures job description for range placement
• Laptop for John Mercer's measurement program

8/30/03
Recommendations sent to Negotiations' teams

• Committee available to meet with teams for clarification
• Appeal process
• Employee notification process

If you are one of us who has lost a co-worker through the hiring freeze or the cost-cutting measure of terminating student and short­term/non-continuing employees, you are assuming that workload. Perhaps you're worried about layoffs and hesitate to bring workload and lunch­schedule issues to your supervisor's attention for fear of being seen as 'uncooperative' or 'non­essential.'
Remember this - You have two jobs: One is to perform your assigned tasks efficiently and effectively; the other is to take care of yourself to prevent injury. As workload increases, so do your risk of job injury and chance of performing tasks inefficiently or ineffectively.
Here are some suggestions for dealing with the dilemma of demonstrating just how essential you are without endangering yourself:

• Review the tasks you perform and identify the essential ones,
• Review the rhythm and workflow of your day and identify the time periods for breaks and lunch that best meet the needs of your task flow and your body,
• Communicate these findings to your supervisor by setting up a meeting or sending an e-mail or other written report, asking him or her to assist you in confirming the priorities you suggest and identifying times for your breaks.

Last week I had an opportunity to talk with Ken Genz from Media Services about his son-in-law PFC Stephen Moore who is serving with the Army in Iraq. Stephen is also the son of adjunct Spanish instructor Carol Moore. Stephen is an A1M2 Tank Loader with the 3rd Armored Calvary Division. He is currently part of the forces securing the Haditha Dam on the Euphrates River west of Baghdad. This dam is 15 stories tall and is very important as it supplies electricity to most of western Iraq. As could be expected, Ken and his family are very concerned for Stephen's safety as well as that of the other troops. Stephen shipped out April 11th, and since then Ken says that they have only received two letters due to slow delivery, but they did get two phone calls. Stephen and Ken's daughter, Kaye, moved up their wedding plans so that they could be married before Stephen shipped out. They are planning to have a full-blown ceremony when Stephen returns. If you get a chance let Ken know that your thoughts are with Stephen and his family. If you know of other classified staff with family in Iraq please let me know at x4654.

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