The

Union Press

Newsletter for the Faculty of the Marin Community College District
American Federation of Teachers, Local 1610

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April 1998

Headlines

Ponderings of the President

Sidebars Added to the Contract

Election Results: New CRA Board Members

Jordan Loses Appeal

Join the Human Race

Treasurer's Report

Bargain Bizarre Update

Getting in Touch with Don Palmer

Committees & Officers

1997-98 Academic Calendar

Benefits of Membership

Special Pricing on Apple & IBM computers

Real-Time Weather From CoM

CoM in the News

Campus Events

e-mail CoM Faculty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Articles

 

Ponderings of the President


by Ira Lansing

This current column is being written by me with a lot of deadline lead time. This does not really matter to you the reader since, if it is the night before publication or two weeks before, you see the same text, and that text may remain irrelevant to you just the same. Similarly, what I will be writing about is an issue with a lot of lead time for your consideration, and still may remain irrelevant. What I am referring to is the proposed merger of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT; locally the California Federation of Teachers, CFT) and the National Education Association (NEA; locally the California Teachers Association, CTA). Both leaderships at the national level have agreed to the concept and the specific details are being worked out. When that occurs national conventions will be held, at which delegates from all of the locals can vote for or against the merger. The impact that it will have on you, the local member, can range from none to major. The changes will cover everything from the junk mail you receive and the amount of dues you pay to the quality of representation and information you encounter.

Some of the differences that are being worked out will be left to a convention of delegates to decide. For example, terms of office, frequency of national meetings, secret or open ballots, weighted or unweighted voting, etc. Most of these items will not trickle down to us at the United Professors of Marin with any appreciable impact. However, there are some that you may want to be aware of and to start thinking about. First, dues. At this early date the information only says they will be "approximately [the] same as either predecessor organizations, had the organizations remained separate." Historically CTA locals have had a lower dues structure because of the massive membership at the K-12 level. One would also think that consolidation could reduce administrative overhead and duplication as well, but that will remain to be seen. Also there will be a new category available to retired members and to students studying to become teachers. Presumably these categories will provide their constituents with benefits and quality representation. Furthermore, it will be up to each local whether or not they will accept administrators as dues paying members. Now that last one would make for some strange bed partners in our district.

Another area of difference to be resolved at the local level is affiliation with the AFL-CIO (bonus points to the first person who can tell me what those initials stand for). This is an organization representing at a national level everyone from teamsters to musicians, nurses and doctors. All AFT locals are AFL-CIO members, while NEA locals are not. UPM even sends a representative (Arthur Lutz) every month to the Marin-Sonoma Central Labor Council, the regional AFL-CIO organization. The benefits of this membership centers primarily around recognition by other organizations in the event of a labor dispute. Additionally the AFL-CIO is the largest working woman's organization in the country, with about 6.3 million members. Presumably we would continue to maintain our affiliation, even at the current cost of about 40¢ per member per month.

On a broader level, both organizations have comprehensive lobbying and politicking systems that generate extensive information and legislation. The merger could only benefit us with better support and facts while also more effectively pushing for issues that concern us as educators. For years I personally have received the legislative information put out by the CTA and have found it to be most informative and to have the same interests that we all tend to share.

As UPM receives more details about the merger we will keep you informed. When the time comes to make some decisions, we will seek your vote. Until then it is up to you-as always-to pay attention and remain alert.

Sidebars Added to the Contract

All the while the slow, stately process of negotiating a new Contract unfolds, the UPM and the District continue to resolve issues and modify the existing Contract. Several new sidebars, addressing unique but important faculty concerns, have been signed, and their language has been added to the Contract on the eve of a fundamental revision scheduled to begin in late spring. These sidebars, hammered out during regular committee meetings between the UPM and the District, deal with the means of hiring new counselors, hiring new librarians, compensating faculty for flextime presentations, and modifying flextime credit.

Each of these sidebars resolves an identified problem and establishes better working conditions for some faculty, but when viewed within a larger context, the achievement of resolution demonstrates vividly the dynamic nature of the Contract and the hard work of your UPM representatives.

SIDEBAR: Compensation for Flex Presentations

On March 30, representatives of the UPM and District established a means by which temporary non-credit faculty could be compensated for delivering flextime presentations. Up to that point, the Contract provided no language that addressed the highly desirable condition of having a part-timer from the non-credit program offer a flextime program. Now, such faculty will be compensated at the hourly stipend rate that is effective at the time of the presentation.

SIDEBAR: Special Flex Programs and Hours

The UPM and District representatives on the Staff Development Committee have come up with a one-time-only plan that would allow an increase in flextime credit for certain presentations during the 1998-99 academic year.

This sidebar to the Contract provides for a series of computer technology workshops that would run for 6 hours per day during flextime. The sidebar thus gives faculty who attend these presentations 6 hours of credit per day for attendance. At present, flex credit is offered at a maximum of 4 hours per day. The change in credit, however, does not exempt faculty from attending restricted flex sessions. And, as the sidebar's language states, "This is a one-time-only, non-precedent setting agreement."

SIDEBAR: Upgrading for Counseling

One of the more significant features of our Contract is the language providing for "upgrading" positions for disciplines in which a significant number of part-time faculty are teaching. The Contract specifies formulas that determine which disciplines are on line for acquiring new full-time faculty. Now, with this new sidebar, a formula for the Counseling discipline has been added.

Starting in the fall semester of 1999, if an average of 40% of the counselling discipline's load over a two semester period is bourn by part-time counselors, a full-time position will be established. The 40% figure will include, however, only part-time assignments that are funded through unrestricted and matriculation funds. Unique mandated positions will not be part of the formula. The part-time loads of counselors replacing full-timers on various leaves, such as sabbatical leave, will similarly not be included in the calculation.

In the same sidebar is a stipulation to preempt the formula and to hire a full-time, permanent counselor in the spring semester of 1999. For some time, there's been a great need for such a position, so the UPM and the District in this one sidebar have not only agreed on a means to add full-time positions in the future but also decided to hire for such a position now.

SIDEBAR: Upgrading for the Library

As a result of a sidebar agreement that is very similar to that affecting counselling, the library "discipline" now has language in the Contract providing for upgrading positions to full-time status.

In this sidebar, if the part-time complement of the library's load meets or exceeds 33% of the total during either the fall or spring semester of 1998, a full-time position will be established and a new full-time librarian will be hired in the spring of 1999.

In addition, the sidebar establishes a formula for future upgrading. The language specifies that whenever the part-time complement of librarians exceeds the average of 33% of the discipline's total in a period of two consecutive semesters, an additional full-time position will be created. When the average is calculated, the part-time loads representing replacements of full-time folks who are on various leaves, such as sabbatical leave, will not be included.

All-in-all, one would have to agree that the "shared governance" committees and the representatives of both the UPM and the District have been hard at work attending to the problems and circumstances of routine activities in the college. All this work goes on despite the need for additional effort preparing for an entirely new round of negotiations for a three-year Contract. All this is evidence of the work undertaken by your union, the UPM.

Election Results: New CRA

Board Members

The results have been tallied in the recent election to determine a seat on the Certificated Retirement Account board and of the Executive Council's appointment of another person to the board.

Now serving your interests regarding the CRA is Joe Morel. Congratulations to him. In addition, the Executive Council appointed Millard Morgan to the board, rounding out the full complement of new board members. These good folks join Jerry Burroni, Manus Monroe, and Ira Lansing in the effort to ensure a successful future of the CRA.

Jordan Loses Appeal

Having lost another of several lawsuits against the UPM, District, and various individuals in federal court, Larry Jordan, former member of the faculty, filed an appeal to the ruling, but his effort met with a dismissal. Thus the case in which Jordan was sanctioned by the court may be at an end.

Join the Human Race

The Members of the UPM Executive Council have officially announced their support of the 1998 Annual Human Race, an event to raise funds for non-profit agencies in Marin County. One such agency is the College of Marin Foundation, and the Exec urges you to solicit pledges, participate on a team, and/or to pledge money for this worthy cause.

The race is a "walk or run" event scheduled for Saturday, May 9, starting at 8am at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. The course is the scenic loop on the Larkspur-Greenbrae bike path. The college is forming event teams, and the team with the greatest number of pledges wins a $300 cash team prize

Bargain Bizarre Update

It's time to clean out the attic, the broom closet, and the garage. Bargain Bizarre '98 is coming soon, and we're ready to accept your donations.

On the Kentfield campus, the collection center is the Butler Building (the old TV studio and former dance center). Enter the parking lot and follow signs to Butler Building. Collection times are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 10:30 to 4:30. We're also collecting on Saturdays, 1:00 to 4:00, and on Sundays 3:00 to 5:00.

At the Indian Valley Campus, bring your stuff to Ohlone, Room 106, weekdays by appointment, Saturdays 1:00 to 4:00, and Sundays 3:00 to 5:00. The best place to park is in Lot #6, by the pool.

For pickups, call 485-9382.

In case you need some new treasures to replace the ones you've donated, the Bargain Bizarre will be held June 6th. Stay tuned!

Getting in Touch with Don Palmer

After we ran the letter from Don Palmer in last month's Press, several of you called to request his address so that you could reciprocate. We're happy to oblige:

Don Palmer

North Carolina State University

Dept. of Philosophy and Religion

Box 8103

Raleigh, NC 27695-8103

UPM Staff and Committees

 President

  • Ira Lansing (x7531)

Treasurer

  • Theo Fung (x7389)

Newspaper Editor

  • Larry Tjernel (x8228)

Budget Monitor

  • Jeff Kamler (x7654)

Executive Secretary

  • Edie Yachechak (x7754)

Grievance Officer

  • Bernadine Allen (x8229)

Committees:

Bay Faculty Association (Bay 10)

  • Tom Menendez

Collective Bargaining Team (CB)

  • Paul Christensen (Chief Negotiator)
  • Jeff Kamler x7654
  • Hank Fearnley x7602
  • Don Foss x7523

 Health and Safety

  • Don Foss (x7523)
  • Carol Costa x7642

Marin Labor Council

  • Arthur Lutz

PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

  • Carl Cox x7423
  • Hank Fearnley x7602

Professional Standards (PSC)

  • Barbara Cancilla
  • Paul Christensen (x7635)

Sabbatical Leave

  • Barbara Bonander x7351
  • Ted Bright x7512
  • Barbara Cancilla x7327
  • Steve Jabloner

Staff Development

  • Alice Rocky (x7586)
  • Norm Pacula x7497

Workload (UDWC)

  • Jamie Deneris
  • Don Foss (x7523)

WEB MASTER

  • Mike Godsey x7402

Updated May 21, 1998

Academic Calendar

Summer Session, 1998

  • June 15 July 24 (Only classes which are scheduled for Fridays will meet on July 24)

See paper version of newletter for rest of calender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Benefits of Membership

 

If you are a member of the union and now have a subscription to America Online, you can find all the AFT information in the exclusive "members only" area through AOL's keyword "AFT."

And if you don't have that subscription to AOL, your membership in the United Professors of Marin can help you get it, with a free 50-hour trial period on AOL and discounts in computer hardware.

AFT has set up special purchase programs with IBM and Apple so that members have access to special pricing on computers. So, with your membership in UPM, you can get good rates on everything you need to connect easily to the World Wide Web

If you are not yet a member of the UPM, simply fill out the form that appears below and send it in to the UPM office via intercampus mail. See you online!

Get the latest union news, Internet access and e-mail service from America Online. For a 50-hour free trial period and access to AFT's members-only area, call

1·800·936·7100

Computers

Special pricing for AFT members:

CONTACT

IBM

1·800·426·7235 ext. 4185

Apple

1·800·959·2775

(valid until 7/98)


Last month, we announced a new benefit for members of the UPM: discounts on entertainment activities through an organization called the Recreation Connection. At that time, we understood that faculty members interested in taking advantage of the discounts would only have to submit orders at the organizations Web page, but we were wrong. Several people on the faculty tried submitting orders but found that they had to fax or mail an order form to an address that we had not listed.

So here is what we hope is the complete procedure for ordering discounted tickets and the like:

To order by mail or by fax, you must first secure an order form. You can get an order form from the UPM Office on the Kentfield campus, you can request a form by calling (818) 386-1046, or you can print out the form from the organizations Web page, found at this address:

www.recreationconnection.com

Once you have the form, you can mail it to:

Recreation Connection P.O. Box 260854 Encino, CA 91426

Or you can fax the form to:

(818) 386-9702

The Recreation Connection offices are in southern California where they have established walk-up order counters, but so far, no such facility exists in our area.

For information, call (818) 386-1046.

Gift Certificates

Sees Candies $8.30/lb

Movie Tickets

Pacific $4.75

United Artists $4.75

Entertainment 98

Marin/Norh Bay $25.00

Monterey Bay

The Aquarium $12.25

Pier 39

Value Pass for discounts at

Underwater World, Blue &

Gold Fleet, Pier 39 Garage

San Diego Zoo

Deluxe pkg. $16.75

Web Page graphics & design by Mike Godsey, windfind@metro.net

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