California School Employees Association - Chapter 620 CONEJO chapter VALLEY voice Newsletter for Classified Employees of the Conejo Valley Unified School District August/September 2016 Chapter 620 Officer Roster President Matt Waldman mwaldman@conejousd.org First Vice President James Wei jwei@conejousd.org Second Vice President Brian Farrell bfarrell@conejousd.org Secretary Dawn Stines dstines@conejousd.org Treasurer Jennifer Coates jcoates@conejousd.org Public Relations Officer Jo-Ann Flowers jflowers@conejousd.org Union Stewards Debbie Hanna dhanna.csea@gmail.com Jeanne Orth jorth.csea@gmail.com Michael Reyes michaelreyes@conejousd.org Labor Relations Rep. vsteele@csea.com Vince Steele Conejo Valley Chapter Voice Editor: Jo-Ann Flowers Correspondence may be sent to: CSEA Chapter 620 c/o CVUSD 1400 East Janss Rd Thousand Oaks CA 91362 Working as a TEAM is better for morale! POSITIVE THOUGHTS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR! Important Dates CSEA Chapter Meetings 3rd Thursday of the Month District Office Conf. Rm. F @ 5:15 pm September 15, 2016 October 20, 2016 November 17, 2016 December 15, 2016 CVUSD Board Meetings District Office Board Room @ 6:00 pm September 20, 2016 October 4, 2016/October 18, 2016 November 1, 2016/November 15, 2016 December 6, 2016 Board meetings are televised Time-Warner Educational Channel 20 Verizon Channel 32 Every Wed./Fri. at 6:00 pm, and Saturdays at noon. Any questions about he schedule Call 805-497-9511, extension 201 Personnel Commission Meetings District Office @ 5:00 pm Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Conf. Rm. A Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Conf. Rm. A Meetings are open to the public
2 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Looking forward to a positive start to another school year. This school year we would like to promote Wellness and Healthy Living. Maybe each work site can encourage a fellow employee to take the lead at your site and form a daily walking club, monthly hiking events, bring in healthy snacks to share, encourage each other to drink more water, and take your entitled breaks throughout the work day. Email Jo-Ann Flowers at jflowers@conejousd.org, our Editor of this Newsletter, the ideas your site has put in place, and be entered into a drawing. Our next Chapter meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 15th at the DO Conference Room F at 5:15 pm. At this Chapter meeting, a second reading of the proposed changes to our Constitution and Bylaws will be read, and a hand vote will be conducted. One of the proposed changes that will be read is to increase our monthly Chapter dues, and this proposed change will be a secret ballot vote. (Reasons for proposed changes see the Question and Answer Page of this newsletter) We will also have a discussion regarding the two seats that are open on the CVUSD School Board, and who WE (CSEA members) would like to endorse as a person/persons that would be a good fit on the board, and that understand the needs of ALL Classified employees. Looking forward to seeing more Classified Employees get involved. Site Reps. please print a copy of this Newsletter and post on your CSEA Bulletin Board. Remember our monthly Chapter meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of the month at 5:15 pm at the District Office, Conference Room F. Let s work together to form an even stronger Union. Sincerely, Matt Waldman Chapter 620 President
3 AGENDA CSEA Chapter Meeting Thursday, September 15, 2016 5:15 pm Conference Room F Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance Approve the minutes from August meeting 1. Communications 2. Report of Executive Board Actions 3. Treasurer s Report 4. Committee Reports Health/Benefits DAC Budget MUP Other Committees 5. President s Report Personnel Commission Labor/Communications Negotiations 6. Unfinished Business Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws of Chapter 620, second reading Voting on the Articles will follow the 2nd Reading. The Vote on the Article III, Section 2 - Chapter Dues will be a secret ballot vote. All other amendment votes will be approved or disapproved individually by a hand vote. 7. New Business 8. Good of the Order 9. Adjournment
4 SECOND READING OF THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES 1. Article III, Section 2: Chapter Dues. Local Chapter dues for Active members of this Chapter shall be $20.00 per year, payable by payroll deduction during each of the months September through June in which the member is in regular paid status; or payable annually in advance to the Chapter Treasurer. Article III, Section 2: Chapter Dues. Local Chapter dues for Active members of this Chapter shall be $20 $30 per year, payable by payroll deduction during each of the months September through June in which the member is in regular paid status; or payable annually in advance to the Chapter Treasurer. 2. Article IV, Section 3: Eligibility to Hold Office: Officers shall be elected from among the Active members in good standing of the Chapter who have maintained such membership continuously for a period of three (3) consecutive calendar months immediately preceding the month in which they are nominated. Article IV, Section 3: Eligibility to Hold Office: Officers shall be elected from among the Active members in good standing of the Chapter who have maintained such membership continuously for a period of three (3) ten (10) consecutive calendar months, and have attended at least four (4) previous chapter meetings during the current calendar year immediately preceding the month in which they are nominated. 3. Article IV, Section 4 Nominating and Election Procedures: (d) When there is more than one (1) nominee for an office, an election shall be conducted at the December Chapter meeting by secret ballot vote of Active members in good standing present at said meeting. It shall require a plurality vote to elect any officer. Write-in votes shall not be accepted. If a tie exists, the election shall be determined by lot (draw) between the tied candidates. Article IV, Section 4 Nominating and Election Procedures: (d) When there is more than one (1) nominee for an office, an election shall be conducted at the December Chapter meeting by secret ballot vote of Active members in good standing, who have not withdrawn their membership within the preceding ten (10) months of which dues are taken, and are present at said meeting. It shall require a plurality vote to elect any officer. Write-in votes shall not be accepted. If a tie exists, the election shall be determined by lot (draw) between the tied candidates. 4. Article IV, Section 5 Terms of Office: Elected officers shall take office and assume their duties on the January 1 following their election and shall continue to serve for one (1) year or until their successors are elected, provided that any officer shall automatically forfeit such office if they cease to be an Active member in good standing. Article IV, Section 5 Terms of Office: Elected officers shall take office and assume their duties on January 1 following their election and shall continue to serve for one (1) year two (2) years in alternating years as follows: 1) Beginning January 1, 2017 (odd year) the positions of President/2 nd Vice President/Treasurer will begin their 2 year commitment; and then 2) Beginning January 1, 2018 (even year) the positions of 1 st Vice President/Public Relations Officer/Secretary will begin their 2 year commitment, and so on to maintain consistency within the Executive Board, or until their successors are elected, provided that any officer shall automatically forfeit such office if they cease to be an Active member in good standing. 5. Article XIII, Section 4 (d) Conduct of Meeting and Vote: (4) The ratification vote shall be by secret ballot conducted at the ratification meeting under the supervision of the Elections Committee and in accordance with procedures required by Association Policy 610. Only Active CSEA members of the bargaining unit(s) who are in good standing and present at the ratification meeting shall be entitled to vote on the ratification or rejection of the agreement. Absentee or proxy votes shall not be permitted. Article XIII, Section 4 (d) Conduct of Meeting and Vote: (4) The ratification vote shall be by secret ballot conducted at the ratification meeting under the supervision of the Elections Committee and in accordance with procedures required by Association Policy 610. Only Active CSEA members of the bargaining unit(s) who are in good standing who have not withdrawn their membership within the preceding ten (10) months of which dues are taken, and are present at the ratification meeting shall be entitled to vote on the ratification or rejection of the agreement. Absentee or proxy votes shall not be permitted.
5 CVFO Union Steward Training Level 1 will be taking place on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at the following locations: Costa y Valles Field Office Training Room 1505 Gardena Ave. Glendale, CA 91204 Park View Middle School Room 32 808 West Avenue J Lancaster, CA 93534 Fillmore Middle School 543 A Street Fillmore, CA 93015 Santa Barbara Junior High School Globe Room 721 E. Cota Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103 Registration & Continental Breakfast: 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Program: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided!!! Training Description: The purpose of the CSEA Union Steward Certification Program is to provide an ongoing, comprehensive program that includes classroom and on-line training and practical experience in order to develop the skills of Union Stewards. There are three (3) levels of training for members - Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3; and Level 4 training for stewards who are graduates of the Union Steward program. Participants must be active (or active retired) member in good standing in their chapter in order to participate. Registration Deadline: Thursday, September 22, 2016 To register, please call Angelica Arana at (818) 502-3843 or email her at aarana@csea.com. Please provide the following information in your message or email: 1. First and Last Name 2. CSEA Chapter Name and Number 3. Contact Phone Number 4. Email Address 5. Location of the training you would like to attend For more information on trainings or events please visit our website http://members.csea.com/memberhome/ cvfo/costayvallesfieldoffice or contact direct: (818) 244-1545 Toll Free: (800) 834-9959 Fax (818) 244-8897, Email to aarana@csea.com.
6 QUESTIONS ASKED BY MEMBERS AND ANSWERED BY THE PRESIDENT #1 When will we begin negotiations for 2016-2017 school year? Answer: We are hoping to be able to begin by the end of September. #2 Will the MUP continue now that the January-May Program has completed? Answer: Yes, our focus will continue to be educating those classified employees that weren t aware that they were not Chapter members and helping them to see the advantages of becoming a local Chapter member. We will also be focusing on Wellness at the sites to help keep costs down with our Health Benefits. Stay tuned for more information. #3 How do I access work email? Answer: From Any browser Example: Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox Go to: http:// owa.conejousd.org Type in your Username and password If you are unsure of your login, contact your Site Tech or Technology Services Department. #4 If I need to go out on Catastrophic Leave and am COMPLETELY out of sick and/or vacation days what steps should be followed? Answer: Talk to your immediate Supervisor advising them of your situation. The next step would be to find the Sick Leave Donation form online. Fill it out and submit it to Mark McLaughlin along with any pertinent documents for approval. Once approved by Mark McLaughlin, the President of CSEA, would then need to sign off on this form. The next step is the President of CSEA Chapter 620 would then go to the Secretary of the Chapter and an email would be sent to Classified Employees asking for donations of Sick Time hours/days. #5 If I am NEW to CVUSD, who should I contact to see if I am a member of the local Chapter 620? Answer: Contact our Treasurer, Jennifer Coates at jcoates@conejousd.org, and she can check. If you are not a member, she will have you fill out a membership application. You can also ask your Site Rep.to help you determine whether or not you are a member of the Local Chapter by looking at your paystub deductions. Ask your Office Manager who, at your site, is your Site Rep. #6 As a Classified cmployee, how do I know which days are holidays, and which days are non-work days? Answer: Every Classified Employee has a job class, which is connected to a Work Year calendar. You should be able to find your Work Year calendar on the CVUSD Website. Check with the Office Manager/Secretary or Admin. Assist. at your worksite if you are unable to locate your calendar. The Human Resources office at the District Office can also help you find the correct work year calendar for your job classification. #7 Why are we proposing changes to Chapter 620 s Constitution and Bylaws? Answer: The Articles that we have proposed changes to are beneficial to the Chapter. The reason why we are proposing an increase to the Chapter membership dues, is so that we can increase the dollar amount for the Senior Scholarships that we give out each year in May, to help with the Annual Picnic we plan for ALL Classified employees that are Chapter members, and to be able to continue holding the MUP Platforms that we have held for the different job classes so that they are able to express their concerns and in turn we can share these concerns with upper management.
7 Do you know an active CSEA member taking a course at a local community college or university or simply enhancing their career opportunities? If so, they are eligible to apply for one of CSEA s Member Career Grants in the amount of $1,000. For more information go to www.csea.com. Student ART CONTEST Theme: Favorite Winter Holiday Activity Submit your artwork for a chance to be featured on the official CSEA holiday card. Awesome prizes will be awarded for the winning entries. Artwork Submission Guidelines: The contest is open to students K-12 statewide now through October 14, 2016 Dimensions: 8.5x11 (landscape or portrait) All mediums accepted: Paint, pencil, photography, digital...be CREATIVE! One entry per student Send artwork submissions to: CSEA Art Contest 2045 Lundy Avenue San Jose, CA 95131 Or email graphics@csea.com Submissions must include- School employee name and contact Artist s name, grade level, and school name
8 MEMBERS UNITY PROGRAM (MUP) We were given an opportunity via a referral by our Labor Rep. Alex Moore, to attend this conference in January in Sacramento. This training gave us the tools needed to reach out to other members to help us change our service fee payers to be actual members of our local chapter. By utilizing resources given to us, we came up with a plan and set a goal. The following events helped us achieve this goal: Bulletin Board Contest the winning Site received a lunch for ALL of their Chapter members on their Site. Platforms were held monthly Para Professional Platform in February/Child Nutrition Platform in March/Childcare Platform in April/Maintenance & Operations Platform in May. These platforms encouraged members to share with us any concerns, issues, and/or questions they had regarding what was going on within their job class. This was a hugh breakthrough and enabled us to then bring concerns/issues/suggestions back to management that they might not have ever learned about. Site Visits were scheduled every two weeks to help convert the SFP s to become local members of our chapter. RESULTS: Increased our membership, communication has improved, and positivity has increased. SUMMARY: We were given a challenge and feel that as a team we excelled!
9 LIST OF ADVANTAGES TO BE A CHAPTER MEMBER: NOT SURE IF YOU ARE A CHAPTER MEMBER? Take a look at your paystub: (see below) (COST: $2.00 per month taken out of your pay) Voting Rights $5,000 Accidental Death Benefit Free Legal Advice on personal matters Retirement Planning Services Discount buying i.e. cars, computers, etc. Discounts on tickets i.e. Disneyland, Knott s Berry Farm, movies, See s Candy, water parks, travel, and much more! College scholarships and grants for members and their dependents Representation ALL work related issues WHAT DOES A SERVICE FEE PAYER GET? (A person who does NOT have the $2.00 per month taken out of their pay) Representation on contractual issues ONLY September Negotiations and endorsing possible candidate(s) for CVUSD School Board October Accepting Nominations for the 2017 CSEA Chapter 620 Executive Board November Accepting Nominations for the 2017 CSEA Chapter 620 Executive Board December Secret Ballot Vote for the 2017 CSEA Chapter 620 Executive Board
10 COMING SOON Chapter 620 HOW TO GET DISCOUNTS AND BENEFITS Ticket sales are available at all three Member Service Centers, located at CSEA Headquarters and the Fresno and Rancho Cucamonga field offices. The service centers are open from 8:15 am 4:45 pm. Members personal checks are accepted up to $150 -over $150 requires a money order or a cashier s check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards are welcome. CASH is NOT accepted. Remember, the most convenient method to purchase tickets is through the CSEA store at www.csea.com/store, or by phone with your credit card at (866)487-2732. Yet another way to get communication out to our members. A place that you can go to if you are unable to attend the Chapter meetings. A few glitches to work out. Looking forward to sharing new website by the end of September beginning of October. QUICK GUIDE TO CSEA Member Benefits: Members should have received their 2016-2017 Member Benefits Guide. On the back of this booklet, is your Membership Card with your number on it. CalPERS (888) 225-7377 Medicare Plan Counseling (800) 707-2360 CSEA Legal Referral (800) 632-2128, ext. 1274 CSEA Ticket & Gift Card Discounts (866) 487-2732 Delta Dental Insurance (877) 492-3862 Retirement Info (805) 485-3663 or (805) 750-6489 Contact Jeanne Foster Or email her at jeannefoster@earthlink.net (NO text messages) Vision Services Plan (877) 492-3862 UIP Auto & Home Insurance (800) 707-2360 Union Plus Mortgage (866) 802-7307 Websites www.csea.com www.calpers.ca.gov www.unionplus.org