WCCUSD Member Newsletter

November 2011

Budget Cuts  Unemployment

Rising Healthcare Furloughs

Housing Foreclosures  Debt

WorkersStruggleFunding Cuts

Sound Familiar? These are the words that surround our communities today, whether in the media or around our families and friends. It’s our family member who lost their home or a friend who has not worked in months. Surviving the worst economy in decades has been a challenge. Are you up for addressing the challenge?

From a national perspective, school district workers in Wisconsin have lost their right to negotiate for benefits and now a similar law is coming to a vote in Ohio and possibly California in 2012.

As we start our reopener negotiations to address benefits and full contract talks in Spring 2012, there is a question to be answered. What holds you back from participating in Local One?

With the increase to Healthcare costs set to take place starting in January and additional workload these bargaining sessions are critical to the quality of our lives and in putting money in our families pockets.

When we are divided and have a lack of participation ….. WE CAN’T WIN.

Steps for Success:

1. Take your break/lunch and do not work for free

2. Share this newsletter with your co-workers

3. Attend Local One Unit or Membership Meetings

4. Become a steward and lead into the future

Announcement of Nominees for

2012 Negotiation Team Members (Non-Officer)

The following are members that have submitted their names for the 2012

Negotiation Team Member

GSM & O Unit: Rick Alexander - Head Custodian Reid Forcier - Grounds Consuelo Mungia - Food Service Carolyn Wendell - Custodial OT & S Unit: Richard Cox - Desktop Support Tech Christine Ramos - Clerical Linda Smith - Clerical Loretta Varnado - Clerical Para-Professional Unit: Shelly Andre - Instructional Aide Otheree Christian - CSO Jackie Davis - Behavior Tech Janie Douglas - Behavior Tech Nanette Murphy - Behavior Tech Tamanica Payton - Instructional Assistant Bruce Yow - CSA

Elections will be held: November 17, 2011

Management Counters Local One Contract Talks

As reported last month, Local One has made a demand of the District to address the benefit costs. The WCCUSD employees have saved the District a considerable amount with pay cuts, furloughs and absorbing more and more benefit costs during the last couple of years. The District has reported sizable reserves and it would seem only fair that the workforce would get some relief. Instead the District has notified the Local it wants the contract term regarding Compensation to be negotiated. According to management, “the District continues to experience financial constraints from a variety of factors.”…”The District approach to bargaining on financial issues must remain cautious.” It is curious that management wants to reopen the section on pay, just after the workers seek relief from the major sacrifices they have made. Members should prepare themselves by looking up Article 16 of the contract. Copies are available at the union hall or on-line. To view on-line, go to the District web site, bring up Departments, at that page, bring up Local Unions, and under Local One is a link to the full contract. This article goes beyond just pay, and also has the hiring process, longevity pay, differentials, and out of class clause.

FMLA v. CFRA? WHAT?

You or a child or spouse is sick, you’re missing work and you’re worried about attendance as well as your family, what can you do? Although in our contract and part of the Districts policies, it amazes me how few of our members know about let alone understand about the Family Medi-cal Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). In short, these are Federal and State statues that mandate up to 12 weeks either all at once or on an intermediate basis for yourself or a family member with a qualifying medical condition. Further , this time cannot be counted against your attendance record! These types of leave can be confusing for some folks so here are some brief pointers:

CFRA regulations are the standard in CA and are less restrictive than FMLA Your Doctor determines (via the regulations) if your condition qualifies Your Doctor determines type of usage (all at once v. intermediate) You do not have to explain why you are asking

for a FMLA/CFRA form

These are just some helpful starting points. Should you have more detailed questions please feel free to contact the Districts HR Department or Local One @ 510-222-5012

YES ON J SAVE OUR COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

DOCTORS MEDICAL CENTER

Public Employees Union, Local One is proud to support Measure J. We encourage you to vote YES to save our community hospital, Doctors Medical Center. When seconds count, we need a first-rate Emergency Room and we need it close by. Here in West County, Doctors Medical Center is the only hospital and full-service Emergency Room that serves everyone. That’s why it’s critical that we support and vote Yes on Measure J – to keep Doctors Medical Center and our local Emergency Room open. Doctors Medical Center has been there for us when we needed it. But the state government has slashed fund-ing for our hospital, so now it needs our help. We must work together to generate our own local, sustainable revenue to keep Doctors Medical Center open. Doctors Medical Center provides critical services we depend on, including: West County’s only rapid response team for heart attacks and cardiac care: Women’s health services, including early detection of breast cancer; Skilled nursing and other services for seniors; Respiratory care in the event of an industrial accident; Full range of cancer treatments; and much more.

Every dollar raised by Measure J will stay right here in our community to provide vital health care services for our residents. The funds raised by this Measure will only be used to keep the hospital open and if the hos-pital closes, the tax will automatically expire. Help us keep Doctors Medical Center and its Emergency Room open. Vote by Mail ballots sent by mail must be received by the Elections Department on or before 8 p.m. on No-vember 15th. Vote by Mail ballots received after 8:00 p.m. election night will not be counted. Postmarks do not count.

You may go in person to the Elections Department at 555 Escobar St. in Martinez and drop it off any time before Election Day between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Election Day, you may return a Vote by Mail ballot to the Elections Department or any polling place in Contra Costa County between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Call the Elections Department at (925) 335-7800 if you have not received your Vote by Mail ballot.

Join us in Voting YES on Measure J by Mail by November 15th.

PEU Local 1’s 10th Annual Food & Toy Drive HELP FILL A WALL AT YOUR UNION HALL!

130,000 children, families and elderly people in OUR community will spend this holiday season with empty plates and empty stomachs.

A $1 donation will provide food for 2 meals! Just think if you donated $5... You will have fed 10 people!

Buy a “Bag Of Food” card, put your name on it and we will hang it on the Union Hall Wall!

Donations can be mailed or dropped off at either Public Employees Union Local One Offices

Or your Business Agent can pass it along for you! Richmond Office:

4197 Lakeside Dr. #170 Richmond, CA 94806

or Martinez Office:

5034 Blum Road Martinez, CA 94553

We Are The One! Richmond Office Supports Contra Costa Action

On October 25, 2011, staff from the Local One Richmond office took their lunch break to attend a rally at the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors

meeting in Martinez. 70 of our brothers and sisters in the County and our partners in labor marched into the Board chamber filling it with signs and letting our presence be known. Once the Board was done with their hearing about a tree (not a joke) the group marched around the chamber calling on the Board to back-up all the talk of valuing the work we do with a fair contract. After taking the message to them inside in was on to the street where we marched, chanted and made a loud noise around the administration building letting the County big wigs know that Labor was in this struggle for the long haul. It is important to remember that we are all Local One and that regardless of what jurisdiction we work in supporting each other is what makes us strong.

GSMO Unit Meeting November 16, 2011

4:00pm Public Employees Local One

4197 Lakeside Drive; Suite 170, Richmond

Julio Arroyo, Business Representative Phone: 510.222.5012 Ext 116,

E-mail: jarroyo@peu1.org

Contact us Scott Brown - Supervising Business Agent sbrown@peu1.org Peter Tiernan - O & TS Business Agent ptiernan@peu1.org Julio Arroyo - GSM & O Business Agent jarroyo@peu1.org Veronica Blanco - Office Manager vblanco@peu1.org 4197 Lakeside Drive, Suite #170 Richmond, California 94806 (510) 222 - 5012 (510) 222 - 8858 - Fax #

Upcoming Events

Local One meetings Steward Meeting November 14, 2011

Executive Committee Meeting November 15, 2011 - 4:30 PM

GSM & O Unit Meeting November 16, 2011- 4:00 PM WCCUSD School Board Meeting November 16, 2011 District wide holidays

Thursday, November 11th -Veteran’s Day

Thursday, November 24th -Thanksgiving Day

Friday, November 25th - Day after Thanksgiving

Local One Leadership

Office & Technical Services

Sylvia McClaflin - President Chris Ramos—Vice President

Paraprofessional Unit Charles Johnson - President Monica Byrd—Vice President

General Service Maintenance & Operation Unit Bobby Killough - President Anthony Walker -Vice President

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