Glendale Community College Chapter 76 Newsletter
May 2008 coming soon
April 2008 You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document.
December 2007
President’s message:
As you all know this is an election year for the CSEA. At the Holiday party on December 19th, the new CSEA Executive Board will be introduced. Please vote! The ballot boxes are available in both the mailroom and the Garfield campus. If you did not get a ballot, please let me or Abe Barakat know, so we can update our database and give you a ballot.
The newly elected Board will set the
goals for the next two years. I would like to thank the current Board for their
hard work and dedication. I stepped in as President of our chapter last August
and I want to report to you our accomplishments since then:
- The Classified Retreat was brought back and we are in the planning stage of another for Spring 2008
- CSEA’s endorsed incumbents won their seats on the Board of Trustees
- Attendance has improved at the Chapter monthly meetings
- 7.5 % salary increase and one-time rebate from Blue Shield
- Active Participation in Shared Governance
- Partnership with Guild
- Contribution to Proposition 92
- Successful Fundraising events
- Chapter meetings at the Garfield campus
- Appointed CSEA Site Representative at the Garfield campus
- Memorable Classified Institute Day
- CSEA scholarship awards
- Participation in the Accreditation process
I want to take this opportunity to thank all the members and CSEA Executive Board who have worked with me throughout the year to improve our position here at the college. It takes all of us to make a difference. Thank you for nominating me as your President for the next two-year term. I am proud to have served as your President and would be honored to continue to represent you in the future.
In Unity,
Saodat Aziskhanova
Resolve to Know Your Rights!
This is the time of year when most people make resolutions for the New Year. This year, resolve to find out what you don’t know about how to avoid grievances and disciplinary action. Knowledge and preventative measures are your best insurance from either you having to file a grievance, or from your supervisor using disciplinary action against you.
Grievances are stressful and expensive for everyone – including the District. Being “naughty or nice” is not the issue – it’s information and proper action that will help you. So, here is a review of preventative tips.
· Know who your job stewards and grievance officers are. Communicate and get information on your issue before it escalates. Grievance representatives or Job Stewards are responsible for providing you with accurate information and informed advice. They will also coordinate meetings with supervisors and higher union representation, should that become necessary.
· Read your contract! OK, so it’s not exciting, but it’s necessary. Locate (with assistance from your union reps, if necessary) and thoroughly understand any sections that apply to your issue. Remember: grievances are legal issues and must be based on specific contract violations by the District against you, the employee. Issues that do not fall into this category may be complaints, and there is a separate filing process for these.
· Ask for an informal meeting with your supervisor to discuss an issue you are initiating. Unfortunately, not all supervisors know the CSEA contract and most of them will appreciate that you advised them of any possible violations before the issue escalates to a higher and more public level.
· If your supervisor initiates any formal or informal discussion with you, be aware of the tone and content. If criticism or disciplinary action seem to be present, you have a legal right to stop the meeting and ask for a postponement until you can call a union representative to witness the meeting and advise you.
· Document and keep your own notes on any meetings, formal or informal, regarding the issue. Keeping notes can also be a preventative measure, too. If you even think that you might have a contract or legal issue, keep careful notes on encounters and meetings you have. Note any changes in behavior or policy toward you. This is not being paranoid; it’s being smart by protecting yourself in the future.
· Limit discussion of the issue to union reps and others you know you can trust to keep the matter private. This prevents gossip, resentment from supervisors, and possibly getting conflicting and inaccurate information.
· Be proactive in your own employment performance and development. This means asking for what you need to be informed about your supervisor’s expectations and opinions: regular and specific evaluations and clear directives and communication. If you don’t get what you need, ask and keep asking!
Even if you don’t think you’ll ever have to file a grievance, these tips are useful to make you a better informed employee and possibly help someone else who might need it.
In the next issue, we’ll cover tips for the grievance process and also discuss the complaint process.
Maria Shufeldt
Job Steward
SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Vote yes on Proposition 92 on the Feb. 5 ballot.
In February, Californians will have the opportunity to approve an initiative
what will lower community college student fees and increase classified
employees’ job security.
The California community college initiative will be on the primary ballot on Feb. 5.
If approved, this initiative will require a minimum amount of state funding for community colleges – an amount that will grow along with the student population. This will guarantee that community colleges statewide have adequate resources to accommodate the state’s growing student population, which is expected to flood community colleges during the next few years.
This initiative will also set the student fees at $15 per unit and will limit future fee increases to
no more than the cost of living. This will ensure that any California resident who wants to get a quality community college education can afford to do so.
If approved, the community college initiative will also help secure classified jobs at the community college level. In the past, when the state finds itself short of funds, it has resorted to cutting back personnel and programs at community colleges. If approved, this initiative will force state officials to look elsewhere to make cutbacks.
Be sure to vote in favor of the California community college initiative when heading to the polls on Feb. 5.
In February, Californians will have the opportunity to approve an initiative what will lower community college student fees and increase classified employees’ job security.
The California community college initiative will be on the primary ballot on Feb. 5.
If approved, this initiative will require a minimum amount of state funding for community colleges – an amount that will grow along with the student population. This will guarantee that community colleges statewide have adequate resources to accommodate the state’s growing student population, which is expected to flood community colleges during the next few years.
This initiative will also set the student fees at $15 per unit and will limit future fee increases to
no more than the cost of living. This will ensure that any California resident who wants to get a quality community college education can afford to do so.
If approved, the community college initiative will also help secure classified jobs at the community college level. In the past, when the state finds itself short of funds, it has resorted to cutting back personnel and programs at community colleges. If approved, this initiative will force state officials to look elsewhere to make cutbacks.
Be sure to vote in favor of the California community college initiative when heading to the polls on Feb. 5.