Category: ACE News

ACE Members,

President’s Message
Pride month may be over, but our contract protections exist year-round and ACE is always here to support our members. https://www.prideatwork.org/bargaining is a great resource for establishing language in our Agreement that secures rights even when the law may change. As a rule of thumb, the law is the floor (minimum) and we can always bargain for better (higher) standards with the District. We are always paying attention to strengthening our language to create better working conditions for all of our members.

• If you have a suggestion for contract language, reach out to a member of the negotiations team.
• If you need support with a workplace issue, reach out to a steward.

This year it seemed more urgent than ever to raise money and show up for LGBTQ+ equity. @Janie Garcia and myself were able to participate in the final AIDS/LifeCycle event which raised 17.3mil$ for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Roughly 3,000 participants made a 7-day journey from the Cow Palace to Santa Monica in a huge demonstration of solidarity and love. It’s the community “love bubble” and cause that have brought people together for over 30+ years. As a cyclist, I would not have been able to ride 500+ miles if it weren’t for the support of roadies(volunteers) like Janie.

• If you’re looking for a group of folks to ride a bike with, check out the South Bay Blaze –  https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthBayBlaze/
• If you’re looking for future events, check out – https://www.sfaf.org/collections/breaking-news/complimentary-lgbtq-cycling-events-announced-by-castro-country-club-and-san-francisco-aids-foundation/

“To serve the whole student, we need to serve the whole worker.” – Janie Garcia, ACE Chief Steward for Foothill

Immigration Empathy
As beautiful as the ride was, on my return trip via US Highway 101 I did see National Guard vehicles on their way to Los Angeles. It was a stark contrast going from an support-focused environment to a punitive one. The actions taken at the federal level have not been about creating social safety nets or establishing systems that equitably create a better future. Much of the activity ACE has been paying attention to revolves around the threat of potential loss for education funding, which would impact our most disadvantaged students. Decreases in enrollment would potentially affect our district’s revenue and demand for the work provided by our bargaining unit. It is in our best interests to demand continued support for higher education. Graduation season is a clear example of the transformative engine that we are a critical component of – maintain the power.

https://5calls.org/ is a great resource for locating your elected officials and providing a framework for how to advocate on issues currently being decided upon. Democracy is not a spectator sport (or a sport at all.)

In my career at the District I have been surrounded by a diverse population from all around the globe. Of the people I’ve met, the ones that I least understand are those that attempt to undermine our mission to provide affordable education and socio-economic mobility. I see no tangible benefit in denying education, food, housing, healthcare or migration to people who are trying to live long and prosperously on a tiny blue orb floating in space. Counter intuitively, funding seems to always exist to criminalize and punish people. ACE has posted the Red Card and Rapid Response Network information on our website, which also links to  the County of Santa Clara’s Division of Equity and Social Justice. Personally, I carry the card with me so that I can be reminded of my own rights and be prepared to defend the rights of others in our community.

We’re continuing to have conversations with the HR and Booth Law Group regarding how to meet the needs of our community.

Evening Site Meetings

ACE held a special site meeting last Tuesday evening to accommodate those who are unable to attend our normal lunch site meetings. Thank you to the members from FH, DA and CS and board members who attended. It was great to have all of our reps from De Anza in attendance to support coworkers who came with questions/concerns – @Marybell Arebalo, @Andrea Santa Cruz, @Lisa Ly, @Adriana Garcia . Appreciations as well to @Alan Nguyen from Central Services.

We’ll create a survey to see if there is more of an appetite for meetings at an alternative time. If a department or group has a specific concern, time can always be scheduled with an Executive Board member. Reach out to any of us.

Executive Board Opening – Treasurer Position [Apply]
As a reminder, we have a vacancy that we’d like to fill for our Treasurer position. Thank you to those who’ve already expressed interested and look for my earlier message today for specific duties.

Email a statement of interest to @Scott Olsen and let me know when we can talk about it prior to next week’s ACE Board Meeting before July 9^th.

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,

De Anza Negotiator Needed (Opening)
Are you based at De Anza and interested in joining our negotiations team? Have questions about what being a negotiator means? Reach out to @Keri Kirkpatrick, @Satinder Kaur, @Andrea Santa Cruz, or @Chris Chavez – and send @Scott Olsen an email by June 11^th to apply.

Parental Leave Information Request (FYI)
We’ve asked the District to provide written guidance to employees who are navigating the process of becoming a parent. Members have asked for a website or document they can refer to and share with their partner to clarify the timelines for pay, benefits, leave, etc.

Health Benefits Dependent Verification (Reminder)
FHDA CCD has sent physical letters and email reminders requesting proof of dependent eligibility by June 6^th to be returned to SECOVA.
This is a valid request (not spam) for information on behalf of the District.

RP Group Climate Survey (Reminder)
FHDA CCD has sent an email on behalf of Lee Lambert through the RP Group as step in becoming an employer of choice.
This is a valid request (not spam) for information on behalf of the District.

Scott on Vacation/Inaccessible 6/1-6/7 (FYI)
Next week I’ll be completely disconnected from all things while participating in AIDS/LifeCycle (https://www.aidslifecycle.org/) – It’s a 545-mile fundraising event ride from SF to LA benefitting the San Francisco AIDS Foundation ( https://www.sfaf.org/ ).

@Marybell Arebalo and @Lindsay West will coordinate the DA/CS Site Meeting along with fellow board members. Anthony Booth will attend to answer member questions.

Our stewards are available to respond to workplace concerns.

In Service,

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

Dear ACE members,

I have resigned my position on the negotiations team due to my acceptance of a position as a faculty Librarian at De Anza.

This is a bittersweet message for me to write. As I work on wrapping my brain around this transition, I’ve been reflecting on my time as a Classified Professional here. And when I think about what I’ll miss most about it, I keep coming back over and over again to ACE. My Classified position is the first union job I’ve ever had. When we voted to decertify from SEIU and form our own independent union in 2009, I was so excited to get involved. Serving on our Union’s board and negotiations team has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional life. I learned so much about the decision-making processes of De Anza and the District, met and collaborated with many wonderful colleagues, and gained a new perspective on collective bargaining and the labor movement. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to participate in the management and direction of the Union and our contract, always with the maximum benefit to our members at the heart of every decision.

I think that sometimes there’s a perception that unions are all about contention and conflict, but that hasn’t been true in my experience. I prefer to frame it as protection instead. ACE protects the rights and interests of our members. Sometimes that requires conflict, but more often it requires collaboration, compromise, and consensus. I’m more patient and a better problem solver now because of my time with ACE.

We are so fortunate to have a strong, independent union. Without it, we wouldn’t have the solid contract that we do, or the leverage to keep improving on it. So much in there is above and beyond what the law requires. But ACE only works because we make it work.

If you have an interest in union work, or are curious about the inner processes of the District and college, or want to do something to support your Classified colleagues, please consider getting involved. Take advantage of that release time! Share your expertise and ideas! Get stoked on the camaraderie! Nurture that spark of enthusiasm, and keep the fires burning.

In solidarity,

Keri

—

Many thanks to Keri for being an active member and representative. Our Contract is better off due to contributions from many members like her.

In Service,

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