The
Union Press
Newsletter for the Faculty of the Marin Community College District American Federation of Teachers, Local 1610 Volumn XV
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PRESIDENT Ira Lansing x7531 TREASURER Theo Fung x7389 PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Carl Cox x7423 Jeff Kamler x7654 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE Alice Rocky x7586 Jeff Kamler x7654 STAFF DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Alice Rocky x7586 Steve Jabloner EDITOR, UNION PRESS Larry Tjernell x8228 BUDGET MONITOR Jeff Kamler x7654 WEB MASTER Mike Godsey BARGAINING TEAM Paul Christensen (Chief Negotiator) Jeff Kamler Hank Fearnley HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE Don Foss x7523 Jeff Kamler x7654 WORKLOAD COMMITTEE Don Foss x7523 Hank Fearnley x7602 GRIEVANCE OFFICER Bernadene Allen x8229 SABBATICAL LEAVE COMMITTEE Ted Bright, Chair Frances Rouda x7345 E. Trimm Joan Risch x7332 MARIN CO. LABOR COUNCIL REP. Arthur Lutz BAY 10 REPRESENTATIVE Tom Menendez |
Actually, one of the benefits of being large and a public institution is that you have good credit and can participate in special funds where people pay you, under special circumstances, more interest than you will owe.
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There is something in the English language that rhymes with "orange." What is it?
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by Ira Lansing As professional educators part of our responsibilities are to make certain that our students can discern the distinctions between, and avoid when necessary, statements like the following: A. One-half of two and two is two B. One half of two and two is three Both of the above are true, and at the very least serve to point out the problems inherent in the English language. Mathematics avoids the apparent paradox of these two sentences by providing special symbols and rules that clarify meaning and intent. Specifically, the difference between A and B is dependent upon when you take one-half of something. Statement A assumes you take one-half after adding two and two to get 4 (so that half of four is two); B requires one-half of just two (which is 1) and then adding 2 to get 3. Sounds messy, but mathematics provides special symbols and rules to help. Knowing them would allow one to write the statements as follows: A. 1/2 x (2 + 2 ) = 2 B. 1/2 x 2 + 2 = 3 By now you are remembering why most of you were not math. majors, but rest assured that by itself English is just as weird. Consider A. Misspelled is never spelled correctly B. Misspelled is never spelled incorrectly Again, two seemingly contradictory statements, but both are possible. English uses special symbols like mathematics does to help in clarifying the intent. A. "Misspelled" is never spelled "correctly" B. "Misspelled" is never spelled "incorrectly" The use of quotation marks implies the literal spelling of each word, and of course the word "misspelled" is only spelled m-i-s-s-p-e-l-l-e-d. What, you may ask, does any of the above have to do with you and your union? Well, one of the responsibilities of the UPM is to assess information from the District and the State and use it to negotiate on behalf of its members. Consequently, we hear our chief financial officer announce at a Board of Trustees' meeting the following: A. The District will need to borrow money to address cash flow needs B. The District will earn thousands of dollars interest on the millions borrowed Actually, one of the benefits of being large and a public institution is that you have good credit and can participate in special funds where people pay you, under special circumstances, more interest than you will owe. Doubtless you and I could not get in on such a deal, but fortunately MCCD can and does. However, imagine the potential for confusion when this same administrator makes statements that may or may not have a plausible explanation. How about something like the following from the District's chief executive officer: A. District FTES is up, the payback to the State for declining enrollment has ended, so there will be an extra $500,000 this year B. We really are short $300,000 this year This one was harder for me to follow at the Board meeting when it was presented, but it sounded like it had to do with creative budgeting and spending priorities. Again, imagine the challenge to UPM in interpreting and negotiating any consequences. One last instance, as presented by the District's chief negotiator: A. Faculty who retrain on sabbatical leaves at 65% pay for one year get a good deal B. Administrators returning to the classroom who would retrain at 100% pay for one year would experience a hardship It should not be necessary to explain the perspectives involved in these statements. Suffice it to say that dealing with them is all part of what your bargaining team, committee members and Executive Council members do. In the coming months as we continue negotiations on old issues and begin bargaining on reopeners, you can expect numerous more examples of the A and B statements you have seen here. Perhaps you will be thankful that you are not directly involved; hopefully you will be appreciative of those who are. As always turn to this newsletter and your membership meetings for clarification. In the mean time, let me leave you with one last variation on the current theme. There is something in the English language that rhymes with "orange." What is it? |
While the real bargaining issues are being sunshined, we will meet and confer with the District on productivity. As talks progress, we'll keep you informed Articles |
UPM Identifies Articles for Openers As the spring semester progresses, we careen toward a whole new round of Collective Bargaining, opening various articles of the Contract for review and possible change. As a result of the feedback received from the faculty on the preference questionnaire, the UPM has identified Workload, Benefits, and Upgrading as the key issues for these new talks. Earlier, the UPM and District agreed to discuss Wages in addition to any other articles that either side might want to discuss. District negotiators have not yet identified what parts of the Contract they would want to see on the table. The next step of the formal procedure is to air both sides' positions on the opened issues, and then, in about a month or two, bargaining will begin. Discussions of Productivity to Start The District has requested that representatives of the UPM and management sit down to discuss the matter of faculty "productivity," an idea that appears in the current Contract. Essentially, the concept links salary increases with District income. This request to talk, however, does not fall in the realm of formal bargaining and thus will take place on a "meet and confer" basis. While the real bargaining issues are being sunshined, we will meet and confer with the District on productivity. As talks progress, we'll keep you informed. No Response Yet to UPM's "Demand to Negotiate" When a dean sent a letter to department chairs detailing a plan for lecture/lab rates (an issue currently being grieved), the UPM issued a "demand to negotiate" to the District. The dean's letter constituted direct dealing, and thus the District is now obligated to negotiate with the UPM on the matter. No word has yet been received about the demand from the District. |
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Academic Calendar and Flex 1997-98(Revised) Before you pin up the calendar that was published in last month's edition of the Press, take note that it has been revised (and corrected, too!). The major change to note is that the first day of fall classes will be one day earlier than originally planned, and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving will be an intersession day with no classes scheduled. Academic Calendar and Flex 1997-98 The District and the Union agree to the following Academic/Flex Calendar for 1997/98: Summer Session, 1997 Session I June 16 - July 25 (Only classes which are scheduled for Fridays will meet on July 25) Session II July 7 - August 1 (Only classes which are scheduled for Fridays will meet on August 1) Fall Semester, 1997 August 12, 13, 14 (Tu, W, Th) Non-Mandatory Flex-time August 15 and 18 (F, M) Mandatory Flex-time August 19 (Tuesday) Classes Begin August 29 (Friday) Census Date September 12 (Friday) First Drop Date September 19 (Friday) Last Day to Request CR/NC October 10 (Friday) Midterms Due November 14 (Friday) Last Drop Date November 26 (Wednesday) Intersession Day - No Classes December 13 (Saturday) Last Day of Classes Before Finals December 15 (Monday) First Day of Finals December 20 (Saturday) Finals End January 5 (Monday) Final Grades Due in Admin & Records Spring Semester, 1998 January 13, 14, 15 (T, W, Th) Non-Mandatory Flex-time January 16 (Friday) Mandatory Flex-time January 20 (Tuesday) Classes Begin January 30 (Friday) Census Date February 17 (Tuesday) First Drop Date February 20 (Friday) Last Day to Request CR/NC March 13 (Friday) Midterms Due April 24 (Friday) Last Drop Date May 15 (Friday) Last Day of Classes Before Finals May 16 (Saturday) First Day of Finals May 22 (Friday) Finals End May 22 (Friday) Commencement May 27 (Tuesday) Final Grades Due in Admin & Records School Holidays Summer 1997 Fall 1997 Spring 1998 *August 30 (Sat) January 19 (Mon) July 4 (Fri) September 1 (Mon) February 13 (Fri) *November 8 (Sat) *February 14 (Sat) November 10 (Mon) February 16 (Mon) November 27 (Thurs) *April 11-17 (S - F) November 28 (Fri) May 25 (Mon) *November 29 (Sat) * This is for the Academic Calendar only; holidays for classes taught on Saturdays only. |
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We here at the office of the United Professors of Marin have been reporting to you each month about the benefits of becoming a member of the union, and those benefits have been diverse and plentiful. But this month, we are pleased to announce a very special new-member benefit: a no-cost life insurance policy from the AFT. If you submit the membership application shown below, you become a member of the UPM and thereby a member of the AFT, eligible for this special offer. Through your new membership with the American Federation of Teachers, you can receive $10,000 in AFT PLUS Group Term Life Insurance at absolutely no cost to you for one full year. You qualify as long as you are under the age of 60, have not been insured in the AFT PLUS Group Term plan at any previous time, are actively working, and are a new member of the AFT. By accepting this $10,000 in AFT PLUS Group Term Life Insurance, you will have the opportunity for guaranteed acceptance into this Plan if you decide to continue your coverage beyond the on-year no-cost period. After one year, if you decide to continue, you will not have to take a medical examination or answer any health questions. All you have to do is pay the renewal premium. When your first year, no-cost plan ends, you will be offered the option to renew by mail. No salesperson will contact you. The life insurance pays benefits for death from any cause (except suicide during the first two years of coverage should you decide to continue your insurance). The policy is underwritten by Albert H. Wohlers & Co. of Park Ridge, Illinois. Once your first year coverage has expired, you will be offered a chance to continue coverage, paying the low premium costs listed here:
(* Only those under age 60 are eligible to apply. At age 60, coverage reduces by 50% but is renewable to age 70.) If you're not yet a member of the UPM, now is the time
to apply. Once you have become a member, secure from the UPM office a copy
of the "Activator Form" for the insurance plan. And the kicker is that your full participation in the matters that most count to faculty, as well as your access to these benefits, costs no more than what you are already paying in representation fees as a non-member! To become a member, simply fill out the form shown below and send it in care of the UPM via intercampus mail. Title Regular Price AFT Price Business Week 46.95 37.95 Esquire 15.94 9.95 Forbes 57.00 38.00 Fortune 57.00 28.50 George 15.94 9.97 Gourmet 20.00 15.00 Life 35.00 17.50 MacUser 27.00 14.97 Money 35.95 19.00 New Yorker 39.95 19.98 Rolling Stone 25.95 17.95 Sports Illustrated 78.97 39.75 Time 59.94 29.97 Village Voice 53.00 39.95 Wine Enthusiast 23.95 11.99 |
| Unexpectedly, the District has failed to award release-time units for the coordination of the Science Center Computer Lab. We are awaiting the District's response to the resulting grievance. |
Back-Pay Grievance Settled The UPM, on behalf of credit instructors who teach non-credit courses, filed a grievance when it was learned that such instructors were not being paid for all of their work. Over the past 1 1/2 to 2 years, faculty who had been teaching non-credit labs associated with credit math and EOPS courses had not been paid for the non-credit portion of their work. But after the UPM filed the grievance, the District settled, and now such instructors are to receive back pay ranging from approximately $1,200 to $3,000. Two Grievances Filed in Involuntary Transfer Case Two weeks ago, grievances filed against the District over an involuntary transfer dispute were denied by management. However, the UPM and District will enter into talks designed to reach a resolution in the matter. Grievance for Failure to Award Units Unexpectedly, the District has failed to award release-time units for the coordination of the Science Center Computer Lab. We are awaiting the District's response to the resulting grievance. |
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AFT LOCAL 1610 Income Statement 12/1/96 to 12/31/96
Operating Expenses
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This section will help you find useful links. I find it especially useful to cut and paste information from articles into my lecture notes. |
Ponderings of the President