Posts Tagged General Meeting
Furlough Ratification Results
Hi everyone!
I wanted to provide the results for the furlough ratification vote and some information about how we move forward from here. I want to thank everyone for their questions and their participation in this most important vote. I encourage you to continue sending your feedback and ideas to our executive board. It will take every one of us working together to navigate the next year at Channel Islands.
Statewide Furlough Ratification Results
The CSUEU Board of Directors held a closed session teleconference on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 4:00pm to discuss the results of the furlough ratification. The ratification vote took place by Unit and the results were tabulated statewide over the past week as each chapter finished up their voting process.
The statewide results were as follows:
* Unit 2 – 86% YES; 14% NO
* Unit 5 – 77% YES; 23% NO
* Unit 7 – 81% YES; 19% NO
* Unit 9 – 82% YES; 18% NO
The furlough agreement has officially been ratified by all bargaining units. This agreement will go into effect on August 1, 2009 and will last until June 30, 2010. It has been a hard month as the statewide Union pulled together to consider a decision between bad and worse. Overwhelmingly the membership have spoken and have chosen furloughs as the “better” option over layoffs. By no means should we celebrate this ratification, nor be happy with the state of affairs in the State of California or the California State University system.
The official press release can be found here:
http://www.csueu.org/Home/tabid/53/ctl/Details/mid/424/ItemID/455/Default.aspx
Chapter Furlough Ratification Results
Representatives of Chapter 324 met on Friday, July 17th, 2009 at 5:00pm to tally our chapter votes. The votes were tallied by Rosario Cuevas (Ex-Officio), Joseph Dobzynski, Jr. (President), and Santos Ortega (Vice-President). The chapter results will be posted once the votes have been validated at the CSUEU home office.
Channel Islands is a unique chapter as the youngest campus within the system. Larger campuses have a wider breadth of seniority based on when the campuses were established, but we at Channel Islands have all been here about the same amount of time. It is heartwarming to see that we are overwhelmingly willing to sacrifice a little for the good of the group.
However, this does not mean that those who voted in favor of layoffs, or even those who voted for the furlough agreement, do not have legitimate concerns about this furlough agreement. I encourage anyone who has concerns about the furlough agreement to keep sending us feedback so we can continue to work with management to ensure our employees are represented to the best of our ability and to the letter of our collective bargaining agreement and our newly ratified furlough agreement.
Moving Forward
Our next steps will be to enact this furlough agreement and get our final questions answered by the Chancellor’s Office, including a full list of exempted classifications. A statewide labor management committee concerning workload also needs to be established to protect all represented employees from being assigned more work than they should be expected to perform for the duration of this furlough agreement. Chapter 324 is still committed to working with management to keep the lines of communication open and to establish a campus-level labor management committee to work with management and other Unions to make sure our voices are heard. We believe now that ratification has completed that we should be able to sit at the table and discuss furloughs for our campus. Your feedback to date has been very helpful for shaping the conversation at our campus.
In Union,
Joseph Dobzynski, Jr.
CSUEU Chapter 324 – President
Ratification Vote Follow-Up / Alternative Work Schedules
I wanted to provide an update on the ratification vote for Chapter 324 and provide you with more information on the alternative work schedule message distributed yesterday. Please pay special attention to the update on alternative work schedules and a personal request to work with them on terminating your alternative work schedules early if you are willing and able.
Ratification Vote Update
Yesterday, Chapter 324 gathered at 12:00pm and again at 8:00pm for the ratification vote. I want to extend my sincere thanks to the executive board for pulling it together again on short notice, and to Brenda Brown and Michael Brandt for attending and answering questions from their distinct and informative perspectives. Ratification officially ends for Chapter 324 on Friday, July 17th, 2009 at 4:00pm. The results will be reported to the CSUEU Board of Directors on Monday, July 20th, 2009 by 2:00pm. The total results will be tallied and reported back to the Chapters. I will get that information to you as soon as it is available and cleared for distribution. The presentation used in yesterday’s meetings has been uploaded for your reference.
Provisional Balloting
For anyone who has yet to vote and is listed as a member in good standing, we have two options for provisional balloting. All provisional ballots are due by Friday, July 17th, 2009 at 4:00pm with no restrictions.
Option 1 – Provisional Ballot
A provisional ballot has been prepared by CSUEU for taking votes outside the ratification meetings. If you want to exercise this option, I can meet with you to discuss any questions you may have and provide you with the ballot for voting. This vote will be counted along with all the others as appropriate.
Option 2 – Ratification by Email
Ratification may also be sent via email to me directly at this address (joseph.dobzynski@csuci.edu). Your vote must come from your CSUCI email address and by exercising this option you waive the right to a secret ballot. I promise to keep your vote in the strictest confidence and will fill out an unmarked provisional ballot for you. Please send along any final questions you might have, and I will do my best to get you answers.
Furlough Proposals
I have confirmed with Renny Christopher that Academic Affairs is putting together a few proposals for how to enact furloughs at Channel Islands, including the “rolling furlough” idea that was raised in our general meeting. Dr. Rush has identified that our primary concern should be serving the students, in accordance with our tentative furlough agreement. I have also been advised that until we ratify our tentative furlough agreement that legally we cannot discuss furloughs as the Union with the campus, so as not to have an undue influence on our ratification. I want to caution everyone that we still do not have all Unions on board with furloughs, nor do we have a finalized budget cut. However, I would appreciate everyone submitting to me their thoughts and concerns about the “rolling furlough” proposal or any other thoughts and concerns you might have. I will compile this feedback and pass it along to Renny for consideration and incorporation to find a furlough day program that is a good compromise to meet multiple needs. Your feedback will be kept anonymous to prevent any potential retaliation. I cannot guarantee we will get everything we want, but we have to work together with everyone on campus for this to work.
Alternative Work Schedules
I have heard back from Human Resources, and they are revising their request for alternative work schedule terminations to provide the required 21 day notice. This notice must come from your administrator directly to you, and the 21 days begins upon receipt of that message. The 21 day notice was placed into the contract to allow adequate time for day care adjustments, secondary employment adjustments, and other scheduling changes that need to be accommodated. I am happy to say we have resolved this potential grievance at the informal level.
Management does hold the exclusive right to implement and terminate alternative work schedules based upon operational needs, and given the undue burden we would place on our fellow represented employees in Human Resources, and the potential complication of any furlough program – I believe this certainly qualifies.
However, if you are willing or able to terminate your alternative work schedule earlier than 21 days, Human Resources would greatly appreciate it! I encourage anyone who is able to do this to please step up and meet with your administrator. I cannot stress enough that working together, especially in this capacity, is the kind of relationship our Union wishes to have with management as we weather this budget crisis.
In Union,
Joseph Dobzynski, Jr.
CSUEU Chapter 324 – President
Furlough Ratification Meeting Information
Hi everyone!
I wanted to provide more information about next week’s vote. A meeting request should have gone out to everyone about the meeting next Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 @ 12:00pm in Broome Library 1320. Please note the location change. The larger rooms are currently unavailable or not big enough to hold everyone. A second meeting will be held that night for the night shift employees.
Time Made Available for Ratification
Our campus has granted a request to allow extra time for all represented employee to attend this ratification vote. Chapter 324 appreciate the flexibility by our division heads for this important vote. We will do our best to finish in an hour, but I am pleased with these gracious adjustments.
Food and Drink Available for EVERYONE
We have adjusted our food and water orders to accommodate everyone. We are requesting that everyone please be considerate when you get there for the first round of food so that everyone can get at least a first round. Once everyone is seated, feel free to take what you want from what is left over. We’ll have foil for leftovers for lunches later in the week.
CSUEU Representatives Available for Questions
CSUEU will have statewide representation available to answer your questions about the tentative furlough agreement. Please send any questions ahead of time so we can get them answered. Also, please keep in mind that some questions we will be unable to answer since they involve individual campus decisions.
Ratification Process
Ratification of the tentative furlough agreement will be by members only. If you are not listed as a member at the time of voting, you will need to fill out a membership application. I apologize in advance for anyone who did submit a membership application in the last round of voting. Some applications may not have been processed prior to the ratification vote.
Our agenda will include an overview of the tentative furlough agreement, a question and answer period to answer the questions we can, and finally the ratification vote. Voting will be done by Unit, which means it is possible that some units will ratify the agreement and some will not. We will have four tables setup to expedite check-in – one for each Unit (5, 7, and 9) and one for non-members. Ballots will only be given to registered members and non-members who sign up for the Union at the meeting.
Provisional Balloting / Special Accommodations
In the event you are unable to attend the ratification vote, a provisional ballot may be filed by special appointments with the Chapter president (me). I can be contacted by either email (joseph.dobzynski@csuci.edu) or by phone (805.437.3279). However, we have made great efforts to provide enough time for all represented employees to attend this meeting. Reasons should be compelling for someone unable to attend the meeting, including vacations and medical needs.
If you cannot meet with the chapter president to file a provisional ballot, you may contact the chapter president directly from your CSUCI email address to cast your vote. Compelling reasons should be provided and members who choose to use this method will waive their right to a secret ballot. I promise to keep your vote in confidence, and will include your vote with the others in the ballot box without markings.
Looking Forward
All ratification vote results will be provided to CSUEU on Monday, July 20th, 2009 by 1:00pm. A special teleconference will be held by the CSUEU Board of Directors to hear the results of the ratification and to determine the next steps for moving forward based upon the vote. I will attend the teleconference as your duly elected president and will send out a message afterward. I will be on vacation that week, so please be patient while I find a working Internet connection in the middle of Northern Illinois. J
Dr. Rush has responded to my request for a Channel Islands Budget Cuts Committee. He is waiting for more information to come in about the overall cut to the CSU Budget (and for our campus), and the possibility of furloughs for CFA and SETC. Chapter 324 believes it is imperative that we provide input from our membership on workload concerns, campus furlough days/weeks, and other campus-specific concerns. I will keep you all informed on the progress of this request as we move forward.
President’s Message
These are troubling times, but it is good to see our Union coming together to discuss and respond to this crisis. I want to thank our executive board for their immense efforts on such serious issues and under tight deadlines. I am also encouraged by the collegial interactions with our administrators while we seek solutions for this budget crisis. I believe this makes Channel Islands somewhere worth working, where we not only find new ways to operate as a University, but also have Unions working together and with management to represent our employees. It is a privilege and an honor to serve you. If you see a member of the executive board, or a long-time Union activist, around campus, let them know how you feel and be sure to thank them for their activism.
In Union,
Joseph Dobzynski, Jr.
CSUEU Chapter 324 – President
Furlough Agreement Ratification Vote
I wanted to provide more updates on the status of the furlough bargaining.
Tentative Agreement Posted
The tentative agreement on furloughs is now available and attached. We apologize for the delay in releasing the information, but our CSUEU Bargaining Team has been hard at work not only in negotiations, but also on the attached FAQ regarding the furlough agreement. This FAQ is really good for those of you who have difficultly reading contract language. Any question you feel is NOT answered by this FAQ should be forwarded to our executive board. We will send those questions to CSUEU for clarification and answers, assuming we are able to answer them right now. Keep in mind that although the agreement is “signed”, it has not yet been ratified by our members!
Furlough Agreement Ratification Vote
On Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 we will hold two meetings for member ratification. The first will be held from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, and will be held in Malibu 100. The second will be held that evening for the night shift. We are anticipating a huge crowd for this important, members only vote. Membership applications will be on hand for those who have yet to complete one, or for applications that were sent in too late for processing. We also hope to have representatives from our CSUEU Bargaining Team on hand to answer your questions. And most importantly to some of you, we will make sure to have enough food and water this time around! The meeting request will go out shortly after this email.
This member ratification vote will determine the following:
- A YES vote means you approve of the tentative furlough agreement as bargained.
- A NO vote means you do not approve of the tentative furlough agreement as bargained.
Keep in mind the previous advisory vote was to ensure pursuing furloughs was an option worth exploring with the CSU. This is the official ratification of the agreement, and each member will need to decide if they accept or reject the tentative agreement. If you need special accommodations for this important vote, let me know immediately!
Channel Islands Budget Cuts
The tentative agreement provides a great deal of flexibility for utilizing your furlough days, and for each campus president the possibility to establish furlough days throughout the year. Many questions remain unanswered, including what the final budget cut to the CSU will be; if other unions (besides APC) will accept furloughs; and how things will progress at each campus. I am still waiting for a response from Dr. Rush concerning my proposed budget cuts committee with senior administrators and union leaders to ensure we are making the best decisions we can. Many decisions need to be made concerning furlough days, workload management, and if layoffs will still be necessary. We sincerely hope these decisions at our campus are not made in a vacuum, and that we can continue the good relations between represented employees and management at our campus – especially if we are sacrificing so much for ourselves and the CSU over the next year. It is going to be a bumpy ride, and an open dialogue will go great lengths to ensure good relations throughout the campus.
In Union,
Joseph Dobzynski, Jr.
CSUEU Chapter 324 – President
Chapter 324 Updates – Conceptual Furloughs Proposal Reached
I have some important news relating to the CSU budget situation and the furlough bargaining.
Conceptual Proposal Reached
The following statement was posted to the CSUEU website:
“After three full days of bargaining, the CSU Employees Union (CSUEU) reached a conceptual agreement which will provide workload protections, significant layoff mitigation and 24 furlough days during the period August 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010. The team believes this agreement will address the concerns presented to us by our members. Once the final language has been written and agreed to, we will post the full text for our members to review.
Within the next few days, we will begin the process of ratification; CSUEU members will have the opportunity to vote on the tentative agreement at their Chapter. You will receive a notice of the time and place for balloting via e-mail.”
CSU Board of Trustees Meeting
The following was included in the last CSU Employee Update:
“The CSU Board of Trustees will meet tomorrow to discuss plans to address a proposed $584 million cut to its 2009-10 budget. The Committee on Collective Bargaining will begin in closed session at 10 a.m., and the Committee of the Whole will convene at 12:30 p.m. at the Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach.
Trustees will discuss several measures ranging from enrollment reductions to furloughs that seek to address an unprecedented reduction to the CSU’s budget, the largest in its history. The reduction is part of the state’s attempt to close an estimated $26.3 billion budget gap.”
Emergency General Meeting
The Chapter 324 Executive Board will begin planning another emergency general meeting, tentatively for Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 12:00pm and 8:00pm. We anticipate a lot more individuals this time around, so we will make sure to have enough food and drink for everyone (including our brothers and sisters on the night shift)! During this emergency meeting we will review the proposal, answer questions, and have a members only vote whether to accept or reject the proposal. A subsequent email will follow when the proposal has been posted to the CSUEU web site and with details on the location and time for the members only vote. Additional meetings will be scheduled to capture all members votes possible within the timeline approved at the last CSUEU Board of Directors Meeting. If you feel you will need alternative means to vote this time around, please contact me for accommodations.
Important Links
Please reference the following links in the meantime for important updates:
- Chapter 324 Website – http://www.csuci324.org
- CSUEU Website – http://www.csueu.org
- CSUEU Budget Central – http://www.csueu.org/Home/StateandCSUBudgetCentral/tabid/902/Default.aspx
- CSUEU Furloughs FAQ – http://www.csueu.org/Home/StateandCSUBudgetCentral/FurloughsFAQ/tabid/928/Default.aspx
CSUEU General Meeting Follow-Up
Hi everyone!
First and foremost, it was great to see so many people attend. It is an honor and a privilege to serve you during these uncertain times. I apologize for the lack of food and water towards the end – we will make adjustments for future meetings as we weather this crisis. CSUEU and Chapter 324 are committed to seeing as many as possible through this crisis.
General Meeting Presentation
Click here to download the presentation given at today’s meeting. I apologize for running over. We had very good questions and I hope I gave adequate answers. We still have more questions than answers and way too many contingencies. If you have further questions, please let me know! I am including my notes from the end of the presentation below.
Voting Timeline
The results of the vote will be tabulated on Friday, June 19th, 2009 @ 5:00pm. No interim vote counts will be given until everyone has a chance to vote. It would be unfair to influence anyone’s decision on this important matter. I will send an email after the tabulation and we will work with our Communications Chair to ensure everyone receives the official count. I am committed to voting at the CSUEU Board of Directors meeting on Monday based on a simple majority (50% + 1) of this vote.
Employee Assistance
Chapter 324 has started discussions with the University and other campus Unions to find ways to support employees in the coming year, regardless of how this turns out. We are open to any ideas you might have to save money during these times. Every dollar is going to count as we move forward.
The ideas include:
- State Employee Discounts – Negotiating discounts with local businesses and organizations on basic items. Some programs exist, but we want to focus on what people need.
- Purchasing Power – Leveraging bulk purchases from local businesses for distribution, including agreements with local farms and grocery stores.
- Potlucks – Holding regular potlucks throughout the year to keep everyone informed and to feed as many as possible.
- Bulletin Boards – Creating ways to post “Need It / Got It” lists to make use of items sitting in our garages or storage closets. You can bust clutter in your home and help a fellow employee.
- Carpooling – Identifying ways to carpool to save on gasoline and parking costs.
- Tips to Save Money – Shut off your lights, turn off your power strips, take shorter showers… whatever we can put together to make better use of what we got at home and at work.
Things to Report
We also discussed a number of practices that we would like to hear about in these uncertain times.
These include:
- Informal Volunteering – No one should be asked or required (that’s “volun-telling”) to volunteer their time for the good of the University. If you hear about these practices, please notify a member of our executive board immediately. You should not be penalized for not volunteering on campus. You should also not receive preferential treatment for donating your time either.
- Workaholics Anonymous – As a recovering workaholic (with occasional lapses!), I know the mental burden we place on ourselves to do the best job we can. Many times we do this to ourselves. Sometimes we need to talk to an administrator to adjust and prioritize the workload.
- Exempt Employee Abuse – Exempt employees will be targeted to ‘put in the extra effort’. This is understandable in emergency conditions, but if it consistently happens to someone on campus, we want to hear about it. We will prevent this abuse in both the furlough and layoff options.
- Working Out of Classification – Many of you were promised re-classifications for duties assigned outside of your classification, if only the budget would agree. We now know the full extent of the budget cuts. If you feel you are working outside of your classification, please let an executive board member know. The contract is clear that one of two things need to happen: (1) you should be reclassified with the appropriate salary increase into the higher classification; or (2) you should have the duties outside your classification removed from your workload. We can’t help you through this if you don’t let us know. We are not paid to do work outside our classification, nor should we be expected to without due compensation.
More information will follow as the votes come in. I want to thank you all again for attending today. We will hold other meetings throughout this week to give everyone a chance to vote.
In Union,
Joseph Dobzynski, Jr.
CSUEU Chapter 324 – President
CSUEU Bargaining Unit 9 – Member At-Large