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2024.10.03 Update – Nominations Due by Tomorrow at 2pm, Dues Forgiveness Oct, COVID-19 & Teleworking, Minutes Repaired

Written by ACE

ACE Members,

Nominations Reminder
Please search your inbox for a message from “electionrunner.com” asking to submit nominees for board and negotiator positions open for election. The email will include a unique voter id and voter key. If you have difficulty logging or issues with the process contact @Shawna Santiago.

  • You can nominate yourself for a position or encourage someone you trust to serve.
  • Nominations are due by tomorrow at 2pm.

Chair of Negotiations and Past-President Chris White wrote a superb article on why you should run for office which is posted on our website (LINK):

“Running for ACE office is a chance to lead, innovate, and drive positive change.  Whether you’re motivated by a desire to amplify voices, address critical issues, or build community, your participation can have a lasting impact.”

Our independent labor organization is member operated by employees like you. None of us are perfect but we do our best to meet the challenges that come before us. We need you to continue to build on our accomplishments (LINK).

If you have questions about the positions or would like to know more about their demands, call or text me.

Dues Forgiveness October
When our organization doesn’t need money for operations and representation we return it to you. The ACE Executive Board approved dues forgiveness for this month. We can do this because we control our money and budget. Cheers to our treasurer Kathy Nguyen for taking advantage of high interest rates on accounts we have set aside in our strike fund, for potential litigation, and operating expenses. Since its inception ACE has regularly forgiven dues twice a year and we review the dues rate regularly. During the COVID-19 pandemic we were also able to forgive dues for an entire year.

COVID-19 & Teleworking
Our MOU (LINK) which allows members to work remotely if you or your child test positive for covid-19 is still in effect. If you are willing, ask your supervisor/manager for a list of projects or outline your own list of tasks which you can complete while working from home. Requests for telecommuting should be made in writing and written denials can be appealed.

Note: Personal cell phones are NOT required for work purposes. Doing District/College business on a personal cell phone subjects your personal device to a public records request, meaning that your entire phone would have to be turned over and searched for substantive information related to a CPRA (California Public Records Act) request. Jabber can be installed on your work computer or the district will provide a phone or stipend for a separate phone if required for your work.

Continue to self-report covid-19 exposures online (HERE).

Agendas & Minutes Repaired
Following a WordPress website plugin crash I was able to rebuild the “Agendas & Minutes” page on our website (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

ACE News, Elections

2024.09.16 Update – COLA, Dues Forgiveness Schedule, Bilingual Pay Tracking, Stewards, & Cookies

Written by ACE

ACE Members,

Negotiated COLA Approved by Membership Vote
Results of the ACE membership vote to approve the 1.07% negotiated COLA were sent to Pat Hyland and Marietta Harris. The remaining bargaining units are going through the same approval process and the hope is to have the salary increase included in end of October paychecks.

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PAYSTUB! The COLA will include a retroactive salary payment going back to July 1st of this year. Retro pay calculations create the potential for overpayment or underpayment. Human Resources staff does an excellent job with many special payment situations but pobody is nerfect. If you are notified that you have either been overpaid or underpaid, contact ACE to help you understand options available to you.

Thank you to our colleagues in Human Resources, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Technology Services for their work on implementing the Cost of Living Allowance.

2024-2025 Budgeted Dues Forgiveness
For the upcoming fiscal year, the ACE Executive Board approved a budget which includes four months of dues forgiveness in October and November 2024, plus April and May 2025. Why four months? Interest rates have been much higher than in previous years and generated a month’s worth of member dues. Thank you to ACE Treasurer, Kathy Nguyen, for seeking out high yield returns and making the most of funds we have set aside for a strike fund, litigation, reserves, and ongoing expenses. In addition to the impact of interest rates, our hardworking ACE Executive Board and Negotiators chose not to collect available stipends set aside for union work.

ACE is an independent business that operates to serve members. We are not seeking to earn profits, so when there is an amount beyond what is needed for representation, it is returned to members. This has been true since ACE’s inception.

Bilingual Pay Pilot Program Tracking Guidance
Keep track of each occurrence when you provide bilingual services. For this pilot program to succeed and grow, we need data to support that there is a need, and our services have an impact. This can be as simple as keeping tally marks on a piece of paper:

  1. # of student requests for bilingual services.
  2. # of manager requests for bilingual services.
  3. Summary of the impact of services provided.

Ultimately we would like to deliver messages at the end of each quarter from members that say:

“My name is Scott Olsen. I work as an Administrative Assistant. During fall quarter I was approached by 400 students and my manager asked 50 times for me to provide bilingual services in Spanish. The product of this work allowed students to enroll, find available classes, and receive translations of necessary department forms and policies.”

Foothill Chief Steward Needed
Please email olsenscott@fhda.edu by the end of the day on Friday 9/20 if you are interested in being considered for appointment to the Foothill Chief Steward Position. You would serve the remainder of the elected term through Dec 31st, 2025.

What does a chief steward do? Section 5.3 of our constitution covers the duties of a Steward:

  1. Duties of the Chief Stewards
    1) Chair the Stewards Council and report activities of stewards to the executive board in closed session.
    2) Be responsible for recruiting stewards and presenting candidates to the executive board for approval.
  2. Duties of the Chief Stewards and Steward(s)
    1) Represent their respective jurisdiction in all membership meetings in the absence of the members.
    2) Be the first line of contact with administrative or supervisory staff subject to this Constitution.
    3) Be responsible for the enforcement of all applicable collective bargaining agreements in their respective jurisdictions.
    4) Be responsible for holding management accountable for all applicable safety and occupational health laws, rules and regulations, and are responsible for notifying appropriate administrative or supervisory staff of unsafe working conditions.
    5) Shall have copies of the Constitution and all necessary working agreements available at all times.

Stewardship requires subordination of personal interests to those interests that represent the highest good of the members. Stewards shall have no greater rights than any other member of the ACE.

Source: https://acefhda.org/about-us/constitution/

Janie Garcia Appointed Steward at Foothill
Thank you to Janie Garcia for stepping up to serve as a steward for Foothill. Two steward positions are available in each branch of ACE (Foothill, De Anza, and Central Services) and coordinate with the chief steward at each site to address member needs in representing members under the terms of our collective bargaining agreement. If you’re already supporting your colleagues unofficially, why not do so in an official capacity and get connected with a larger support network? Have a conversation with your chief steward about becoming a steward.

Opening Day ACE Table (w/Cookies)
During District Opening Day on Wednesday, we’ll have a table with ACE membership applications and cookies. Drop by if you have a new colleague or questions of your own. Our independent labor union continues to do a fantastic job of keeping benefits rates affordable, seeking cost of living increases, and improving our agreement based on member feedback. We’re all better off because we’re well organized and able to make progress on issues that impact our lives as members.

In Solidarity,

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

ACE News

General Membership Meeting – COLA Ratification Vote

Written by ACE

ACE members,

The District and ACE have reached a tentative agreement on the 2024-2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), employee benefit rates for plan year 2025 (effective Jan. 1), and article 2​3 which extends our contract through October 31, 2027.

We will hold a general membership meeting next Wednesday, Aug. 14 at noon via Zoom.  Please check your email for the meeting invite.

 In short, we’ve agreed to:

 COLA

  • 1.07% – this was the full amount included in the state’s budget for 2024-25.  It is retroactive to July 1, 2024.  The District is currently working on a timeline to get it implemented as quickly as possible. 

Health Benefits

  • Employee medical premiums remain the same as plan year 2024. It’s important to note, on average, premiums went up 12.8% for active employees and 19.8% for retirees. 
  • Employees will pay $6/$12/$18 (employee, employee+1, or family) for dental and vision coverage.  This coverage was free for plan year 2024.
    • Maximum out of pocket for dental increases to $2000(in network) and $1800(out of network) for plan year 2025. Up from $1700/1500 in plan year 2024.

 Article 23 – ACE Contract Rollover

  • With our contract set to expire, Oct. 31, 2024, we have elected to roll it over through Oct. 31, 2027.   A new negotiation team will be selected through the election process in October. 

Your negotiations team was very thorough and thoughtful in this process to keep our agreement strong, benefits affordable and salary schedules moving upwards, especially during these challenging financial times.

We look forward to seeing you and answering your questions at the general membership meeting next Wednesday, August. 14.

Of service,
Chris White, chair of negotiations

Negotiators
Stacey Carrasco
Chris Chavez
Joseph Gilmore
Keri Kirkpatrick
Andrea Santa Cruz
Scott Olsen

Please note:  this information is for ACE members only. If your colleague did not receive it, please have them contact Scott Olsen.

ACE News, Negotiations