Author: ACE

ACE Members,

District Board of Trustees Meeting Debrief
There was a substantial amount of in-person support for replacing old artificial turf with new artificial turf instead of natural grass on District athletic fields. Discussion was lengthy – the meeting did not conclude until after 10pm – but considerations are important to weigh, and this is an example of what decision-makers are tasked with handling. Parties advocating for polar-opposite outcomes can be difficult, but the hope is that transparency and the facts at hand support the decision. Ultimately the Trustees set out to pursue the most cost-conscious option rather than the most environmentally conscious. While not final, it’s likely the choice that preserves access for most student athletes and stabilizes the District budget.

Q: Why is this important? When would ACE weigh in?

Any project, contract, or structural change that affects the general fund is important for employee groups to pay attention to because those choices impact what’s available for staffing, salaries, and benefits. If the District would have elected for the option that had increased costs and decreased revenue, that would have triggered additional scrutiny on our part. Additionally, if a member came to us with a health and safety concern we would resolve those to the best of our ability.

Public comments also included mention of the loss of long-time temporary employees, specifically in the Owl’s Nest at Foothill. Students spoke out in support for the need for the position to maintain operations. ACE has also brought it to the College’s attention that it is unsustainable to place the burden of operations on one individual. How does this help meet student basic needs? What happens when that one person is on leave? Does the college incur liability when staffing a work area solely with unsupervised student employees? I encouraged Trustees to compare services at De Anza and Foothill, specifically their Food Pantries and Health Services areas. Students deserve equal treatment in receiving basic needs services. Employees deserve equal pay and benefits for equal work.

Q: My manager is saying ACE got rid of the temporary employees. My manager is saying ACE said to apply for reclassification. Is this true? Why am I losing a person who supports my work?

ACE filed a grievance related to Article 4 of our Agreement. (Grievances are how we navigate violations of the Agreement, which mirrors Ed Code 88003.1.) Temporary employees are hired to do work that is temporary in nature. They are intended to be substitutes for employees on leave or vacant positions during the hiring process, or be assigned to short-term special projects not needed on a continuing basis. To circumvent the governance process, fair hiring process, and pay employees lower wages to accomplish work that falls within our bargaining unit, the district hired temporary employees year after year. ACE challenged this practice, requested information, and Human Resources has increased compliance with the CBA and Ed Code.

ACE did not tell management that members should seek reclassification as a result. Per 15.1.1, “An increase in the volume of work shall not be the basis for a reclassification.”

Per 15.2.5, “A worker who has applied for reclassification may not apply for another reclassification for at least two years from the date of the last reclassification request,”

Do not go through the process without a clear understanding and consultation with ACE.
Do not allow your manager/supervisor to fill out the Employee area of the PDQ form.
Filing a flimsy/unsupportive reclassification request creates documentation that is extremely difficult to overcome.

We recognize the hardship it creates for our members to lose staffing and the hardship it creates for those who were in temporary positions. Many of the affected positions are entry level – essentially District past practice preyed upon the lowest paid people and resulted in providing less compensation, benefits, and workplace protections. ACE filed the grievance to enforce the contract and to reiterate there is a standard for the work that we do. In a high cost of living area, we can’t pay people below the standard and be the employer that preaches excellence. I’m old enough to know the difference between “being grateful just to have a job” and being grateful to have a union job.

Vacation Cash-Out for Approved Unpaid Leave
The District has agreed to offer vacation leave balance pay-outs for members with approved unpaid leaves of absence, intended to assist those who are experiencing delays in Federal Gov’t processing of DACA/EAD renewals. If you are affected, (1) contact HR and ACE to coordinate the unpaid leave and (2) request a cash-out if needed.

Q: Can anyone do this?

No – it is only available for those with approved unpaid leaves of absence.

! Important: If your position requires a professional license or certification, such as a driver’s license, CPR, etc., maintain its active status. Employees who fall out of compliance may be placed on an unpaid leave of absence until that license is renewed. In very plain language, continuing to perform duties with a known expired license ticks off the licensing body and Human Resources.

Member Heatmap by Zip Code
During the meeting I created this for FH Classified Senate, but these are the top 5 zip codes (it was a 3-way tie for 2^nd) where ACE members are located:

1. 95014
2. 95051
3. 94087
4. 95112
5. 95008

and beyond…

Labor Notes 2026 Conference
Many Board Members and Negotiators are attending the Labor Notes Conference in Chicago, Thu-Sun. See https://labornotes.org/2026 for more details. This is the one conference that ACE pays for representatives to attend and is held every two years. Workshops include:

• Assertive Grievance Handling
• Bargaining Tactics: Using Unfair Labor Practice Charges Strategically
• Overcoming Divisions
• Sexual Harassment: What It Is and How to Stop it
• Trainings That Engage and Inspire
• When Costs Rise, So Should Our Pay
• Bargaining When the Boss Says They’re Broke
• Before, During, and After Negotiations: Step-by-Step Strategies
• Fight ICE, Build the Union
• Dealing with Difficult Supervisors
• Stewards’ Skills: Organizing to Defend Our Rights
• Tactics to Build Power
• Defending Your Co-Workers in Disciplinary Meetings
• Developing the Leaders Your Union Needs

and that’s a sample of just Friday, 🤯 which is why multiple attendees make a difference. Expect us to return fired up, educated and empowered ✊

In Service,

Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org 
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:30am-5:00pm

ACE Members,

Always check your paystub – Human Resources is currently conducting analysis of all ACE employees in Banner due to an issue which has caused some of us not to receive step increases on our anniversary dates. ACE has sent a message acknowledging when the error was discovered along with the expectation that members will be made whole retroactively once the calculations have completed (tentatively within a week or two).

How do I know if I’m at the right step? How do I know if I’m advancing steps?

1. Attached is a spreadsheet to help generally calculate your step and then find align it with the link to the salary schedule.

2. Otherwise, Banner makes it so very simple (sarcasm intended) …

1. In MyPortal under the “FHDA Banner” tile, click on “Launch Banner SSB”
2. Click on the “Employee” tab
3. Click on the “Jobs Summary” link
4. Click on your most recent job link
5. (Print this page to a PDF)

Here’s an example of the report with markup from HR/Payroll citing the missing step increase:

Supporting contract language:

8.3 Advancement on Salary Schedule
A worker will advance to the next step of the salary schedule on the first of the calendar month following the completion of the first six months of service, provided that they have received from the supervising manager a “good solid performance” rating. If the worker’s supervising manager has not completed the evaluation and given a copy to the worker by the date when the worker is scheduled to receive the step increase, the increase shall be granted automatically.

A classified hourly employee will advance to the second step of the salary schedule on the first of the calendar month following the completion of one year of service provided that they have received from the supervising manager a “good solid performance” rating. If the employee’s supervising manager has not completed the evaluation and given a copy to the employee by the date when the employee is scheduled to receive the step increase, the increase shall be granted automatically.

A worker’s first month of service will be the month during which they begin work providing they render service before the 11th of the month. In all other cases, the worker’s first month of service will be the calendar month following the date on which they begin work.

A worker will advance to subsequent steps as they complete an additional year of service with a satisfactory rating on the annual evaluation. A classified hourly employee will advance to subsequent steps as they complete an additional two years of service with a satisfactory rating on the bi-annual evaluation. A year for 12-month workers is 12 months; for 11-month workers, 11 months; for 10-month workers, 10 months; for academic- day workers, the academic year. However, if the worker’s supervising manager does not complete the annual evaluation and give a copy to the worker by the date the worker is scheduled to receive the step increase, the increase shall be granted automatically. A worker’s anniversary date for salary increments shall be the anniversary of their first month of service after completing six months in a class. The anniversary date for a classified hourly employee shall be the date of hire in the classified hourly position. Any month during the worker’s work year during which they are not in paid status will not count toward the anniversary date and will advance it by one month. A worker who demonstrates exceptional ability and diligence as a worker of the District may be given double advancement on recommendation of the supervising manager and with approval of the Associate Vice Chancellor, Human Resources, the President, or the Chancellor.

7.5.2 Placement and Movement upon Promotion
… Workers who successfully complete probation shall have their annual step date adjusted to reflect the six-month probationary period.

☝️ Note: Workers who’ve received a promotion will have had their anniversary dates adjusted per 7.5.2.

We’ll keep you posted with updates and contact affected individuals once we receive the list. Reach out to a steward or me if you have any questions:

De Anza: @Andre Meggerson, @Jeff Dickard
Foothill: @Janie Garcia Cordova, @Cynthia Huang
Central Services: (Vacant) It could be you 🫵 We need you. Please 🥺

In Service,

Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org  
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:30am-5:00pm

ACE Members,

We are working with the District to address federal government processing delays for DACA renewals and updated EADs. Both ACE and FHDA CCD are sensitive to the hardship that is outside the control of employees. Both ACE and FHDA CCD have written supportive letters on behalf of employees for expedited processing. ACE and FHDA CCD have mutual interest in retaining affected employees.

Currently to retain job positions, Human Resources is requesting that members submit a request for an unpaid leave of absence per 10.11. This leave cannot exceed one year.

10.11.2 Rights of Worker Upon Return from Leave
A worker returning to duty after an approved leave of absence without pay shall be returned to the same assignment held prior to the leave, providing the worker has met the conditions under which the leave was granted. If the assignment no longer exists, the District shall place the returning worker in another position as soon as one is available for which they are qualified and shall endeavor to place them in a position in the same salary range as the one held at the time the leave was granted. Time spent on unpaid leave of absence does not count toward seniority, salary increments, personal necessity leave credit, sick leave credit or vacation credit. Each month during which the worker is not in paid status will not count toward the anniversary date and will advance it by one month.

We’ll continue to explore what can be done within the limitations of federal compliance. Reach out to us if you have questions:

1. Please call.
2. Please text.
3. Please email.

(In that order)

In Service,

Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org  
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:30am-5:00pm