Fresno County Members Are Involved

SEPTEMBER 2015 NEWSLETTER

Service Employees International Union, CTW-CLC

5228 East Pine Avenue, Fresno CA 93727 ���� (559) 447-2560 ���� FAX (559) 261-9308 ���� www.seiu521.org Fresno County Newsletter September 2015; County Team:lem opeiu29afl-cio 2015© SEIU521/CTW-CLC

Chapter President’s

Message by Laura Basua

Hello Brothers and Sisters:

I hope everyone had a great summer. We want to

welcome our newest members. We’ve listed

them on the front page so everyone has a chance to greet them.

Not a member yet? Contact an Internal Worksite Organizer at (559)

447-2560 to become a member.

I look forward to seeing you at our next General/Execu3ve mee3ng

on Tuesday, Oct. 6. We will discuss upcoming elec3ons, campaigns,

and meet and greet with new staff. Come and be informed.

Remember that our Chapter leadership is only as strong as the

membership behind it; we can’t do it without you! It is an honor

and pleasure to serve you.

In Solidarity,

Laura Basua

Fresno County At Large President

Unit 4 Job Specialist lll

Sign up to be a union member today! Go to link:

http://www.seiu521.org/members/getinvolved/membership/ or contact an SEIU 521 Internal Worksite Organizer at

(559) 447-2560

First Last Unit Classification

Stacy Lang 2 Program Technician I

Heze Maynard 2 Program Technician I

Serena Rangel 2 Correctional Officer I

Robert Thompson 2 Security Officer I

Ryan Atendido 3 Social Worker I

Vanessa Castillo 3 Social Work Practitioner

Jose DeLaCueva 3 Social Work Practitioner

Alicia Macias 3 Social Worker I

Jamie Navarro 3 Social Worker I

Jesse Orosco Santiago 3 Social Work Practitioner

Ivonne Villagomez-Ugalde 3 Social Work Practitioner

Yia Yang 3 Social Work Practitioner

Crystal Blancarte 4 Eligibility Worker I

Lorraine Espinosa 4 Eligibility Worker I

Vanessa Espinosa 4 Eligibility Worker I

Thomas Findley 4 Eligibility Worker I

Ryan Grace 4 Eligibility Worker I

Virginia Hidalgo 4 Eligibility Worker I

Keith Hinton 4 Eligibility Worker I

Debbie Hogg 4 Eligibility Worker I

Bertha Leal 4 Eligibility Worker I

Leanndra Malveaux 4 Eligibility Worker I

Richard Ovalle 4 Eligibility Worker I

Pheng Phimmachanh 4 Eligibility Worker I

Erick Pineda 4 Eligibility Worker I

Isabel Rodriguez 4 Eligibility Worker I

Jessica Segura 4 Eligibility Worker I

Ravinder Sidhu 4 Eligibility Worker I

Maureen Valdez 4 Eligibility Worker I

Joe Vang 4 Eligibility Worker I

Yee Xiong 4 Eligibility Worker I

Justyn Crawley 12 Janitor

Francis Daggett 12 Janitor

Melody Floyd 12 Account Clerk III

Dalla Hernandez 12 Account Clerk I

Michelle Johnson 12 Office Assistant I

Virginia Meza 12 Account Clerk III

Jennifer Perez 12 Office Assistant I

Donna Poedy 12 Office Assistant I

Rebecca Richardson 12 Account Clerk I

Janeen Sanders 12 Office Assistant I

Ana Senn 12 Office Assistant I

Gina Clark 22 Library Assistant I

Cassandra Mendez 22 Library Aide

Tiffany Pelletier 22 Health Education Specialist I

AUGUST 2015 NEW HIRES

General Membership/Executive Board Meeting

Tuesday, Oct. 6 6-8 p.m. Meeting

5:30 p.m. Dinner Union Office

5228 E. Pine Ave., Fresno Please RSVP at (559) 447-2579

Your Role as a Union Member The most important thing to know about our union is that YOU are the union. A union is only as strong, effective and powerful as the members who participate in its operation and activities. You can best exercise that power by being informed, involved and active in our union. Every member can take simple steps to make our union a more powerful and effective vehicle for advancing your interests and the interests of your colleagues. These steps include: Read your contract and keep it handy – Your contract delineates your rights and benefits at work and represents the focus of your union’s activity. Talk to our union leadership if you have a question – If you are unclear about what our contract says, or what our union is doing to address an issue, go to one of our elected leaders and ask them. The names of our leaders are posted on our SEIU bulletin boards and SEIU website. Attend meetings – If you cannot make a meeting, send a delegate from your area who you trust to express your views and help you stay informed. Read newsletters, e-mails, etc. – Our leadership has stepped up efforts through the production of our newsletter, contract updates and e-mail blasts to keep members informed of ongoing issues. Review this material so you know what is going on. Participate in and vote in the election of leaders of our unit – Our bargaining unit has by-laws that dictate a process for holding elections of its leadership and negotiating team. Make sure you vote. Be politically informed and involved. Because government is highly regulated and sensitive to changes in public policy, you need to stay informed in state and national issues affecting public entities. Also, you need to develop and maintain a relationship with your state legislators by e-mails and phone calls. You can do this easily by visiting the SEIU website (www.seiu521.org) for any upcoming issues and or attend monthly COPE meetings. The success of all of these activities depends on broad participation by the membership. If our union is engaged in an activity, participate. Remember the union is you! Again, you are the union and by engaging in some or all of these activities you can guarantee that the union is successful in representing your interests.

Notice of Nominations and Election for Fresno Count y Chapter Division Officers and Officers at Large and

Voting on Revised Chapter Bylaws

2015 ELECTION TIMELINE Notice of Nominations: Sept. 21—Oct. 4

Nomination Period: Oct. 5—Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.

Nominee’s Acceptance and Statements Due: Oct. 23 a t 5 p.m.

Voting: Dec. 7—Dec. 18

Voting dates, times, and locations will be posted.

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT—Alysia Bonner

Regions 3 & 4—September 2015 If you would like to add anything to the region report,

please contact Alysia Bonner at lavonbonner@yahoo.com

Fresno County

• Had management stop a practice that could reflect negatively on Supervisors in Unit 36. • Had management agree to a change in department payroll practice in Unit 36. • Working on increasing unit membership and involvement in leadership positions. • Contract ratified July 2015. • Fresno Chapter elections will be conducted soon with new bylaws ratification. • Retirement Board seat election voted by November 20, 2015. Town hall will be conducted. • Contract approved for return of 9% over 3 years. • Working on repairing relationship with Fresno County Board of Supervisors

First Student

• Contract Action Team (CAT) is organizing members to win a strong contract. • A welcoming committee is in place for new members. • 20% of current membership is active. • In the process of developing an education team on workplace policy. Fresno Housing Authority

• Currently dealing with issues of Housing Management changing employee titles/hours without the Meet and Confer process. Human Resources is working with leadership on this.

• Received a COLA of 3.2% for 2015 and 1.0% for 2016. Contract expires in October 2016.

Madera County Head Start

• New contract for 5 years.

• New 5 year contract for 2015-2020 which includes COLA mandated by the federal government.

City of Coalinga

• Working on increasing membership in chapter. FASTA—Substitute Teachers • Contract amendments approved by membership. • 5% increase added permanently to salary schedule. • 2% one-time bonus for previous school year 2014-2015. • Annual winter glove drive for Fresno Unified elementary school students has started.

Donations can be dropped off at the union office. FUSD—Classified Employees • Contract amendments approved by membership. • 5% increase added permanently to salary schedule. • 2% one-time bonus for previous school year 2014-2015. Riverdale Unified School District • Currently in bargaining.

Regions 3 and 4 Leadership Summit—September 12, 201 5

DSS – LABOR MANAGEMENT MEETING UNITS 3, 4 and 12 Chapter leaders and Shop Stewards from Bargaining Units 3, 4, & 12 meet quarterly with Department of Social Services Director and Deputy Directors to address labor issues that impact hours, wages, and working conditions. Agenda items vary based on current issues as addressed by members, follow up from meetings with Program Managers and Deputy Directors and also on policy application and interpretation by Management within the department. This Quarter issues addressed are as follows: • EW1 Guideline Expectations: Request for

revision needed on EW1 Guideline as changes have occurred in Caseloads, adding of Tasks, Call Center and many other changes within programs. As a result of discussion, there will be a Workgroup established in which Labor will have EW delegates from BU4 involved in development of those guidelines.

• Bilingual Caseloads: Discussion on Workload Assignments for Bilingual Caseloads was addressed. Issue was not

resolved. DSS Director stated that the decision was made by Fresno County Personnel as to how many positions DSS would have. Additional Follow up by Chapter leadership for BU3 ,4, & 12 will be made to obtain clarification and information from Fresno County Personnel. Please contact your Shop Steward if you are impacted by Bilingual Workload assignment.

• Changes to Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) 2015 : Concern was raised as to the changes made to Supervisor

Training in 2015, which will impact all classifications in DSS BU2, 3, 4, & 12. Leadership addressed concerns raised by membership in DSS department that the 24 hour notice to employee that is referenced in PPG 10-01-005 Performance Evaluations and 10-01-009 Performance Improvement Plans is being bypassed, also being bypassed is the Expectation Memo given by SSPS prior to the meeting. Employees are to be offered an opportunity to bring improvement ideas and/or strategies to the meeting at the time notice is given as indicated in PPG 10-01-009. Response from department is that some employees ask to Waive the 24 hour notice and Expectation Memo. Also discussed is that it appears PIPs are Punitive due to the new language in PIP, which sets Expectations for employee as: Effective immediately, you will. In some instances this can be applied, but if there is training or other factors needed to reach your goal, employee should be given 90 days to improve, as effective immediately is not reasonable. Please contact your shop Steward if you are impacted by this change.

We will be having a 2nd meeting to complete the Agenda Items as meeting had to be rescheduled. Agenda Items to be discussed are as follows: • BU4 Job Specialists: Frequent movement of staff, Caseload Balancing, Coverage (percentage, Unit/Section/Division),

Health & Safety (Main Campus-Mice infestation). • BU3 Social Workers: Smartphones: Management did indicate they are working on that at this time, will report at next

meeting. “Worker’s rights and Worker’s struggles are part of what we deal with on a daily basis. Our voices are heard when meeting with Management by being diligent in addressing changes to policy, policy interpretation and application and Health and Safety. Silence never wins rights. It’s time for all of us to remember, Worker’s Rights are Human Rights!!!!” - Marisela Gastelum, BU4 EW (Shop Steward) “Attended my very first Labor Management meeting after several false starts by me. I walk in and I view all management. Unfortunately, my fears come true. The Director spoke and management rarely spoke, unless directed by the director. The hostility from management permeated, management have taken seats across from labor and next to each other. This body language spoke volumes of how potentially my first meeting would be like. Management does not see us as partners, but as adversaries and treated us as such.” - Roberto Hinojosa, BU4 JS “Active Union participation at the quarterly Labor Management Meeting is crucial in assuring that worker rights are not trampled on by management, when they are implementing new work policy.” - Lorenzo Lambaren, BU4 JS (Shop Steward)