October 2002

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With great frustration, I have to report to you that the Board of Trustees rejected the arbitrator's award in our dispute with the District about Hours of Employment. Saying that the Board did not in any way want to "disrupt" the support staff, Board President Terry Lindley said, nevertheless, the Board had "no choice" but to reject the decision.
To recap, this dispute is about whether the right to "assign," which is contained in Article 2 of our contract, allows the District to set hours of employment that differ from those explicitly set forth in Article 6 of our contract. The arbitrator ruled that the specificity of Article 6 overrides the generality in Article 2 and that the District has no right to set different hours without meeting and conferring with SEIU.
I have made clear to the Board and administrators on numerous occasions that SEIU understands the District's need and desire to expand its services and offerings beyond the ordinary hours of business and that SEIU's interest is not to obstruct that desire but to have it take place in a coherent manner. SEIU wants to be certain the District does not expand its offerings without expanding staff and that assignments of work-hours-and-days are made following procedures we have agreed to. In short, we don't want our members being told, suddenly or even with a month's notice, that they're working nights instead of days or Tuesdays through Saturdays or Wednesdays through Sundays. We also don't want replacements for vacancies assigned such hours because that, then, thins out the remaining workforce. If the District would be willing to consider increasing staff to cover the increased hours, we would be very happy to discuss and agree to reasonable procedures for assignments.
Many of our members have said they would be happy to work 'alternative' hours; we have that ability now under our contract. As long as everyone in the workplace who would be affected-including one's supervisor-agrees, we can work four 10s, Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 8:30pm, any combination that serves both the District's and our needs. SEIU has already negotiated those conditions. It's imposed conditions we're concerned with.
At the Board meeting, at which both Steve O'Keefe, our Field Representative, and I spoke, Ron Root presented this year's budget and referred to the criticisms the Board has received for inadequate staffing. Once again, he accorded responsibility for funding classified staffing to the State. While this argument is compelling, especially in today's economy, it ignores planning for expansion. Who is going to clean these new buildings? Provide support for proposed technological advances? Shelve and catalog new library and media collections? Patrol the campuses? Administrators say if we cannot grow we cannot exist. Logic says growth requires staff to support and maintain it; this institution is not self-propelling. Planning requires more aggressive steps than crossing our fingers.
What next? The Board must issue its decision in writing, which will occur when the minutes of the September Board meeting are published. In addition, the Board must issue a written statement supporting its reasoning. After that, there are legal remedies, certainly, which are expensive. The Board felt strongly enough about its position to risk going to arbitration, where the costs are paid by the unsuccessful party. We cannot underestimate the importance of this issue to the District, and the District cannot mistake its importance to us. If the Board can say that it will not honor a legal interpretation of part of its agreement with us and will not sit down to discuss it, how can we trust any agreement we make with our employer? There are other approaches we can take to let the District know how their action affects us. It is a dark day for us all, with the State Bond measure vote just weeks away and a divided workplace.

The health insurance transition from HPR to Health Net is happening, and thanks to all of you for your patience during this process. Health Net will be effective November 1st, 2002. (Only HPR members are eligible to enroll at this time.) I would like to summarize some advantages of Health Net and give you some reference information that I feel will be helpful. Please review your Enrollment Packet to familiarize yourself of the benefits available.
Coverage begins: November 1, 2002 (You should receive your ID card in the mail prior to Nov 1st.)
Company and plan name: Health Net HMO Plan 28Q

What are the co-pays and some of the coverages of this plan?
Physician visit: $25
Prescriptions: $10 (primarily generic), $25 (primarily brand name), and $35 (prescription drugs not on the Recommended Drug List - see specifics in the policy).
In-patient Hospitalization: $500 (contact HR department for reimbursement). Out-patient Surgery: $500 (contact HR department for reimbursement)
Emergency Room: $100 (contact HR department for 50% reimbursement).
Urgent Care: $50 (contact HR for 50% reimbursement).
X-ray and Laboratory Procedures: 100% coverage.
Durable Medical Equipment: 100% coverage.
Allergy testing, allergy serum, allergy injections: 100% coverage
Note: Refer to Summary of Benefits for more specific items.

Group Number: will appear on your ID card when mailed to you.
Enrollment forms: must be returned to Human Resources Dept by September 30.

Questions about coverage:
1. Enrollment Packet: HMO directory, Summary of Benefits, Living Well benefits
2. Refer to Health Net website: www.healthnet.com
3. Call Member Services: 1-800-522-0088 (large group service)

Several questions have been addressed:
1. Who is paying for the increased premium? You will be notified of a decision as soon as the memo of understanding between the district and the unions is signed.
2. Continuation of care: If you are in the middle of treatment call Member Services to get a Transition of Care form.
3. The benefit change is only for HPR insurance; there are no other benefit changes.
4. Can I change my Cafeteria Plan because of the plan change? No. The change of insurance from HPR to Health Net is not considered a qualifying event as established by the IRS.
5. What age will my dependent be covered until? SRJC has established 25 years old as long as in college full-time.
6. What if I live out of Sonoma County and work at SRJC? Contact Louise Burke in Human Resources Dept to make arrangements with Health Net for medical coverage.
7. Diabetic supplies: insulin $25 prescription, blood testing strips (glucose meters: Precision QID, AccuCheck Advantage and Comfort Curve) $25 prescription, blood testing strips for other glucose meters $35 prescription. You are entitled to one of the covered meters with a prescription. Insulin pump supplies are covered 100% and you should contact your physician for a referral to the medical group's durable medical equipment company.
8. My spouse and I are both employed here at SRJC and both have Health Net. Make sure on the enrollment form that you don't claim each other as a dependent as the district doesn't want to pay for double coverage.
9. Is there a cash stipend if I am covered under my spouse's medical plan and want to sign off my Health Net coverage? You will be notified of a decision as soon as the memo of understanding is signed between the district and the unions.
10. Is there mail order for prescriptions? Yes as well as for a great deal of maintenance medications. You pay two 1-month co-payments for a 90-day supply. Refer to Summary of Benefits.
11. How do I know how much my prescriptions will cost? Refer to the Health Net website www.healthnet.com or to call Member Services.

What are some great new benefits with Health Net? Yes!!! Refer to www.healthnet.com.
1. Direct access to acupuncture, chiropractic and massage. Discounts available.
2. Health Club discounts
3. Durable Medical Equipment 100% coverage
4. Allergy injections 100% coverage
5. Children immunizations 100% coverage
6. Behavioral health services availability
7. Mail order prescriptions
8. Moms-to-be entitled to a free car seat

If you have any further questions about the policy, please call Health Net member services at 1-800-522-0088.
If you have questions about enrollment, call Louise Burke in the JC's Human Resources Department, 527-4304.

Our membership gives us strength and unity; strength in numbers, strength and unity in representation at the bargaining table; unity with other units in supporting common interests and causes; coalition building with other unions to elect people to office who will represent all our interests.
As members of SEIU we have access to legal representation, experienced professional staff knowledgeable in the areas of mediation, arbitration, law; training for the stewards and negotiation team members who work so hard to safeguard our employee rights.
All SRJC classified staff benefit from these resources every day. Our excellent benefits package, job security and pay are very visible examples. While we all reap these benefits, not all classified employees are SEIU members; maybe because we are so comfortable in our jobs.
"Union busting" by many management groups has been prevalent in recent years across the country. The air controllers battle was a prime example. The emphasis by many building contractors to hire non-union workers, the hiring of part time temporary employees to fill full time positions has become the norm in the corporate world and is quickly seeping into the educational domain.
To protect our jobs we need strong representation at the negotiations table; those negotiators need the support of a large, unified unit. There truly is power in numbers. We need your membership, especially at this critical time. We have all reaped the benefits, it is time for each of us to show support for our SEIU unit by joining.
We also need another classified/labor friendly member on the J. C. Board of Trustees. The Classified Advisory Council of SEIU here at SRJC has voted to support Labor candidate, Steve Benjamin, for the position of Analy District representative to the Board. SEIU members who live in that area can help in building a strong neighborhood/labor coalition by working to elect this candidate.
A Tuesday Brown Bag Lunch series sponsored by SEIU and beginning September 24 will be conducted every Tuesday before the November 5th election. Various SEIU representatives and candidate Steve Benjamin will be available to discuss critical campaign issues. Check e-mail and handouts for participants, location and specific times.
Contact Bill Lambert, ex. 4398 or Virginia Hotz-Steenhoven, ex. 4386 for membership and series information.

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