ACE Members,
President’s Message – Negotiations, Elections, Collective Power
This is trick-or-treating season and our inboxes are getting full of sweet union messages which demonstrate what we accomplish as an employee group. For full 2025-26 tentative agreement details scroll back to Friday for the summary message from @Chris Chavez, chair of negotiations. Here are highlights:
- 3.0% salary schedule increase to each step.
- $20 increase to each Longevity Award ($80 @ 4 awards).
- Language Proficiency Stipend (Bilingual Pay) made permanent.
- Increased initial Vacation Accrual from 6.66 to 7.0 hours per month.
- 10 hours per month at the beginning of year 3.
- 13.33 hour per month at the beginning of year 7.
- 16 hours per month at the beginning of year 13.
- Working Out of Class permanency option after 2 years.
- Increased annual Travel & Conference and Educational Assistance individual limits.
- Work After Clocking Out changed from 11pm to 8pm (see 13.2.6.2).
An Outlook invitation was sent to members to join a general membership meeting at Foothill this Thursday at Noon in the Toyon room (and virtually via Zoom) to discuss the tentative agreements. Online voting on the negotiated items will begin following the meeting. Reminder: It’s an all or nothing, yes or no, membership vote. Upon approval, we move forward with implementing the changes. Upon disapproval, we go back to the table to negotiate with the district.
These contract changes don’t happen without a union and member support. Our negotiations team did a tremendous job at the bargaining table. Figuratively (using Halloween frame of reference) we saw the Faculty Association knock on the District’s door and leave with a bag of candy, then we knocked and wouldn’t leave until our bag was equally as filled. Results are a great recruiting tool, so if you are having a conversation with a non-member who didn’t receive the details from ACE, encourage them to join as a member. None of the highlighted items were passively obtained handouts – we challenge the District to respond to employee needs. Instructions on how to join our union are on our website (LINK). Feel free to send non-members with questions to any ACE representative.
Elections for union representatives are also taking place for the following positions: President, Central Services Vice President, De Anza Vice President, Foothill Chief Steward, De Anza Board Member (Seat 1), and Foothill Board Member. Emails from ElectionRunner were sent this morning. Contact @Sharon Garcia-Vega if you didn’t receive information on voting. Thank you to members who serve in these leadership roles. We achieve more when more of us participate. The work is easier on us when more of us contribute.
Dues Forgiveness – October
The Executive Board approved dues forgiveness for upcoming member paychecks. Dues will not be deducted at the end of the month and for those who are paid mid-month. Thank you to @Jesse Perez for confirming our financial ability to allow for this and to @Lisa Kirk for raising the topic at a site meeting – come to a site meeting, members can do a lot.
- ACE has forgiven dues at least twice a year since 2009.
- We have forgave dues during the entire 2020 year.
- Dues are only collected from base (reg) pay.
- Dues are not taken other compensation (Overtime, PGA, Longevity, etc.)
- The current dues rate is less than 1% (.87%)
We do not charge dues when we have sufficient funds to cover monthly expenses, pending litigation, and an adequate amount in our strike fund. As an independent labor association, we control our money and what the ways it goes toward representation.
231 Grant – Employee Housing
If you missed the open house event last Saturday, events are planned for every 3rd Saturday of each month per Virginia Allen, Marketing Manager for Mercy Housing. Questions? Contact 231grant@mercyhousing.org
Search your inbox for previous messages on the topic.
Staff Development Leave Training
Join the next two upcoming site meetings for trainings and Q&A about Staff Development Leave. In the meantime check out 10.13 (LINK) if you’re nearing the end of your 7th year with the district:
10.13 Staff Development Leave
To encourage and enable classified workers to enhance their value to the District through further job-related education, the upgrading of their skills, or retraining for a different career path, a Staff Development Leave has been established. A worker may apply for Staff Development Leave to begin upon completing seven (7) years of service in the District. The leave may be from one to ten months at 85% of full pay. Such leaves may be taken in one-quarter increments to a maximum of ten months. A worker becomes eligible for additional leaves after completing increments of seven (7) years of service to the District.
It’s been a busy season – more updates to come. Chris and I are busy responding to your questions about the tentative agreements.
In Service,
Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:30am-5:00pm