ACE Members,
President’s Message
The number of proposals, pending policy changes, and action items coming out of the federal government which affect our campus community can be overwhelming. Many changes are being challenged in the courts, but we can also participate in challenging them by contacting our elected representatives.
- Emails have to be manually read and sorted.
- Letters and postcards take time to arrive and get processed.
- Faxes have to be digitized and emailed.
- By contrast, congressional staffers tally phone calls right away.
5calls.org is a great site to get started and provides guidance for leaving a voicemail on urgent worker issues:
- Protect Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives (LINK)
- Save Federal Student Loan Programs from Cuts and Chaos (LINK)
- Protect Free Speech: Stop Unlawful ICE Detainment of Immigrants (LINK)
- Oppose Efforts to Dehumanize Transgender and LGBTQ+ People (LINK)
I have yet to see any executive order that seeks to improve public higher education, worker’s rights, or improve our day-to-day lives. We should change that by speaking up about the issues that matter most to us. Please consider using your free time to make a few calls to promote our interests and support for the community college system.
ACE does not use member dues for political purposes per our policy (LINK) – fortunately phone calls are free.
Weingarten Rights
An outbreak of disciplinary meetings has occurred lately, so it’s important we all know our rights in this situation and understand when to bring in a steward. Union members have the right to union representation in a meeting where there is a reasonable expectation that discipline may result. Ask your manager/supervisor, “is this meeting investigatory or will it lead to discipline?”
What may a union representative do during an employee interview?
- Union representatives serve as advisors and witnesses during employee interviews. Employers are required to inform union representatives as to the subject matter of the interview and allow time for that representative to meet with the employee prior to questioning.
- During the interview, a union representative may ask the employer to clarify questions, give the employee advice on how to answer questions (within limits), and provide additional information to the employer after the questioning. A union representative may also object to questions if they are badgering, intimidating, or offensive.
More information: (LINK)
Contacting a steward or asking questions at a member site meeting can get ahead of the disciplinary process… Is it appropriate for my manager to ask me to do this? Should this be expected of me? Is this allowed under the Agreement? My manager is accusing me of X, what are the potential consequences? How do I document against being disciplined?
Don’t be afraid to ask! – @Thomas Marks, @Andre Meggerson, @Jeff Dickard, @Janie Garcia Cordova, @Nicholas Falasco, and @Scott Olsen are available to help answer these questions. The sooner, the better.
Bilingual Pay Pilot MOU
Between Fall 2024 and Spring 2025…
- How many students did you serve?
- How much time did you spend using your bilingual skills?
- How would you summarize what the district received in exchange for bilingual pay?
Please email the answers to hr@fhda.edu with the subject: “ACE Bilingual Pay” and cc your manager/supervisor + @Scott Olsen
Unfortunately our MOU with the district (LINK) was developed and implemented during a transition period for human resources management. The answers to the questions above will help inform a future (improved) pilot and/or contribute to making bilingual pay a permanent part of our collective bargaining agreement.
April Dues Forgiveness
The ACE Executive board approved that member dues will not be collected at the end of the month and for those paid mid-month in May. We can do this because we have an excellent treasurer and we are an independently member-operated organization in control of our own money. Currently we have a sufficient amount set aside for regular operations, pending litigation, and a strike fund.
In Service,
Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:30am-5:00pm