ACE Members,

Delta Dental Coverage Survey ( 3rd & Final Reminder)
There is still time (it only takes a minute) to complete our survey on your experience with Delta Dental. We’ve heard individual anecdotal stories about dental offices changing to being out of network but the survey is intended to capture the experience of the membership:

  • Responses are due by Wednesday, March 8th – (Survey Link Removed)

Survey feedback has a direct impact upon benefits negotiations with the District. Thank you to the many who’ve responded already.

Dues Forgiveness – February
Union dues were not collected from our February paychecks as a part of our budget plan for the third time this academic year. While the base rate is 0.95% of regular pay, the effective rate we pay has been lower as a result of our dues forgiveness practice. The ACE Executive Board continues to be fiscally prudent in spending our money. The ability to control our money is a major benefit of being an independent organization. Our Dues Committee continues to develop a proposal to bring to the membership in response to how conditions have changed since the last time we reduced our dues rate in 2016.

From: “ACE Update 04.08.19” (LINK):

  • ACE was incorporated in 2009 and the dues were set at 1.05% of base pay.
    • Under SEIU, dues were set at 1.5% of base pay.;
  • In 2016, ACE permanently reduced dues to 0.95% of base monthly salary.
  • Over the past five years, on average, ACE has been able to forgive dues twice a year.  This occurs when budgeted costs for classification and legal issues aren’t spent, usually the result of our legal representatives resolving issues before any costs are incurred.

It’s worth clicking on the link above to read the full “A Decade of Independence” article by Chris White.

(Fun fact, past update messages are searchable on our website.)

Board of Trustees Measure G Study Session
The FHDA CCD Board of Trustees is soliciting questions to be answered during an upcoming study session on Measure G. They can be submitted directly to aprilstudysession@fhda.edu and/or to scott.olsen@acefhda.org. I’ll attend in person to make sure your question is asked/answered. Meeting details:

Board Retreat / Study Session
Date: April 11th
Time: 9am – Noon
Location: District Office Building (D700), Board Room (101)

Related projects include De Anza Creative Arts, Services for Students Building, District employee/student housing, and more: https://bonds.fhda.edu/measure-g-project-list/

Thank you to @Christian Bonner, @Andre Meggerson, @Chia Wen, and @Alyssa Vanzandt for speaking at recent Board of Trustee’s meetings. The current plan for De Anza Creative Arts that is being circulated is being presented without revisions to collect consistent feedback. Workspace safety and logistical design concerns will be addressed in future design proposals.

Connect with your Classified Senate Officers for issues that relate to participatory governance: Foothill (LINK), De Anza (LINK) , Central Services (LINK)

California Public Records Act (CPRA) Requests & Network Privacy
Recently the district received a request that required over 200 employees to respond to a public records act request. This is an important reminder that there is no expectation of privacy when communicating via district provided technology services and devices (email/text/chat/cell phone/computer/etc.) and if you use your personal device to conduct workplace business, it would subject to disclosure as part of a public records act request.

Our attorney, Bradley Booth, has written up a document that is attached to this message which provides more detail on the CPRA. This will be the topic during upcoming ACE site meetings, attend if you have questions.

Union-related communication on the District email server is also accessible by the District. To maintain your privacy ACE is currently transitioning to email addresses off the District’s network. Executive Board Members, Negotiators, and Stewards will all have firstname.lastname@acefhda.org email addresses that you can send messages to from your personal email addresses.

(and this message is akin to a bulletin-board message per Agreement section 5.1.2 if you’re wondering why it is originating from a @fhda.edu address.)

District COVID-19 Vaccine Policy
At the last Chancellor’s Advisory Council meeting and the Board of Trustees meeting there was a first read of a proposal to rescind the District vaccination policy (LINK). The majority of neighboring community college districts have dropped their vaccine mandates and California recently ended it’s COVID-19 State of Emergency (LINK). Most likely Foothill – De Anza will officially rescind the vaccination policy beginning spring quarter.

Upcoming Events
March 22nd – Webinar: Might Gay Unions! Queer and Trans Labor Histories and Futures (LINK)
April 8th – Oakland: Bay Area Troublemakers School (LINK)

In Solidarity, 

Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:00am-5:00pm