CSUEU E-News: August 7, 2008
Biweekly news digest from the California State University Employees Union
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UPDATE ON GOV’S MINIMUM WAGE PLAN
BUDGET TALKS RESUME, ALLIANCE CONTINUES “E-MARCH” FOR CSU FUNDING
PAT GANTT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE BUDGET BATTLE
CONTRACTING OUT: ISSUE HITS HIGH TIDE AT CSU MONTEREY BAY
ASSEMBLY SPEAKER BASS ADDRESSES BUDGET AT DOMINGUEZ HILLS
ATTEND ALLIANCE NIGHT AT LONG BEACH ARMADA BASEBALL GAME
NEW WEB FEATURES
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Update On Gov’s Minimum Wage Plan
Last week the governor signed the executive order he had been threatening to issue, which would reduce pay for state workers under his direct authority to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour until a state budget is in place. The order does not apply to CSU employees, nor to those at UC and CCC, although the governor calls on the higher education segments to take similar steps.
The CSU Chancellor’s Office issued a statement in response to the Governor’s executive order. The statement says, “CSU employees will continue to receive their regular paychecks while the university seeks ways to cooperate with the state to minimize the impact on the state general fund.”
See the complete statement at:
http://www.calstate.edu/PA/news/2008/employeepayupdate.shtml
Budget Talks Resume, Alliance Continues “E-March” for CSU Funding
While talks continue among the state legislature’s leaders and the governor to hammer out a 2008/09 state budget, the Alliance for the CSU continues an “e-March” on budget decision-makers to call attention to the CSU’s budget needs.
To participate in the “e-march,” or to let your colleagues and friends know about it, go to: http://www.allianceforthecsu.org/send_message.php
Email to the Big 5 has been so extensive – more than 40,000 messages – some email to them has bounced because the email boxes were full. If your messages were returned undelivered, the Alliance for the CSU urges you to try again.
Pat Gantt’s Perspective on the Budget Battle
CSUEU President Pat Gantt provides a fact-filled update on the state budget battle from his unique perspective in an essay that he has just posted to his CSUEU web site blog. He sees encouraging signs in the Governor’s backing of a sales tax increase, a shift of the Governor’s position showing some movement toward a compromise on the budget impasse.
CONTRACTING OUT: Issue Hits High Tide at CSU Monterey Bay
When CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) first opened in 1994 with a student enrollment of just 654, several staff functions—including groundskeeping and student medical clinic services—were contracted out on the theory that such a small, new campus didn’t have the resources to be fully staffed in every department on opening day.
Today, the university has almost 4,000 students and more than 140 full-time faculty members, but it continues to contract out, using temp agency Manpower Worldwide Inc. to fill various staff positions.
Early this year, CSUEU requested a Meet and Confer to discuss long-term contracting out by the campus’ Temporary Employment Services, which affects Bargaining Units 07 and 09. After several twists and turns, the resulting negotiations story has a happy ending.
At first, CSUMB management ignored and objected to the request. CSUEU did not back down and kept pushing its demand to bargain until a date was set, five months after its initial request.
Held on July 18 in the Alumni and Visitors Center boardroom at CSUMB, the all-day meeting involved proposals and counter-proposals on several key points surrounding the use of outside help. CSUMB brought in four high-level executives, including two labor consultants, CSUMB’s HR VP, and an attorney from the Office of the Chancellor. Ten CSUEU members and staff were on the other side of the table, including CSUEU President Pat Gantt, VP for Representation Dennis Dillon, and CSUMB Chapter 322 President Andrew Coile.
Ultimately, the chapter sought to win the same limitations that are already in place at CSU Fresno, particularly in regard to a 90-day limit on temporary employment, which it knew would be a major step towards weaning the campus off outsourcing all together: Employees provided by the temporary agency shall not be procured for a period longer than a cumulative 90 days, per department. The chapter maintains that this limit should be implemented systemwide.
During the meeting, several terms were successfully reached, including CSUMB’s agreement to provide records of contracted-out employees to CSUEU and an agreement that CSUEU-represented employees will not supervise contract employees and vice versa. However, an impasse was declared on the 90-day item, as administration would not move on this fundamental restriction.
On July 30, after a week of multiple calls with the Office of the Chancellor, the parties reached a tentative agreement on all of our approved language, with a 180-day restriction per department on temporary staff procurement.
“Our experience with this meet and confer has shown us that unity, courage and intelligent debate prevails,” CSUEU Labor Relations Representative Michael Hejazi said. “Fundamentally, this is about respect and job security, as well as acknowledgment that CSUMB staff deserve the same treatment as state employees at all 23 other campuses.”
In the next month or so, Hejazi, CSU labor consultant John Swarbrick and other key parties will be coming back to the table to bargain over long-time outsourcing of BU 2 work, involving healthcare services, and of BU 5 work, dealing with grounds and facilities.
“If you have the opportunity to serve on a bargaining committee, definitely take it,” says CSUMB’s Luana Conley, who was among the meeting’s CSUEU participants. “Your opinion and perspective are valuable, respected, and necessary to this process. If you are a represented staff member, action is the solution to improving all our workplace situations.”
Assembly Speaker Bass Addresses Budget at Dominguez Hills
An overflow crowd of more than 450 concerned citizens turned out for a Budget Crisis Town Hall at CSU Dominguez Hills on July 29 with Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Assemblymembers Warren Furutani and Betty Karnette, and State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas.
A large contingent of staff, faculty members, students and supporters of the Alliance for the CSU were in the crowd to support the call for more CSU funding.
CSUDH president Mildred García welcomed the crowd and introduced Speaker Bass, who received her bachelor’s degree from CSU Dominguez Hills (Class of ’90, B.S., health sciences).
Bass is the first African American woman and first female Democrat to hold the position of Speaker of the California Assembly. She is also the first African American woman elected to lead a legislative body in the United States. This was her first visit to the South Bay region since being elected to the office.
As Assembly Speaker, Bass is one of the Big 5 who are negotiating intensely to achieve agreement on a 2008/09 state budget. She told the crowd that she will push to find a permanent solution to the state’s budget problems after a budget is passed, cautioning that without one, “we’ll be right back here next year.” She hopes to perform a thorough review of the budget and establish a bipartisan tax commission for an overall budget reform.
García also welcomed to the campus the many other elected officials and community advocates in the audience, which included mayors and councilmembers of numerous L.A. County cities. Furutani and Bass both praised the Alliance for the CSU for building a movement to advocate for the needs of the whole state.
CFA Vice President-South David Bradfield, who chairs the CFA chapter at CSUDH and helped found the Alliance, gave a passionate talk about the importance of funding the CSU for California’s future. Bradfield is a strong CSUEU supporter who attends almost all CSUEU chapter meetings.
Another topic on everyone’s minds was the Governor’s then-threatened--and since ordered--temporary slashing of state employee salaries. “An SEIU healthcare worker gave a heartbreaking speech on how the state’s short-term salary cutbacks would affect her ability to care for her chronically ill brother,” says CSUEU chapter President Mary Granger. “We really need to support SEIU members as they fight back against this latest cynical move by the Governor.”
Attend Alliance Night at Long Beach Armada Baseball Game
Another Alliance for the CSU theme night at a Golden State Baseball League game is coming Thursday, August 21st, when the Long Beach Armada plays the Chico Outlaws at historic Blair Field in Long Beach. Have fun watching the game while showing your support for the Alliance for the CSU in the fight to protect accessible higher education for California's families.
Free tickets are available to CSU faculty, staff, administrators, students or alumni, as well any business or community supporters of the CSU.
For more information or to order your free tickets, go to http://www.allianceforthecsu.org/activities.html
New Web Features
Check out the nifty Online Dues Calculator that has just been posted to the Membership page, with a big thanks to CSU Monterey Bay chapter President Andrew Coile for creating the calculator.
Also just posted: President’s Greeting, easily accessible off the home page as a way of welcoming newcomers to the site on behalf of CSUEU President Pat Gantt, along with a prominent, adjacent link to the membership page.
Under “Hot News” on the home page, you’ll find the latest Contract Negotiations News, and it’s additionally downloadable as a PDF from our Bargaining News page.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday-Sunday, August 16-17
Northern regional organizing training. California Maritime Academy, Vallejo
Wednesday, August 20
Sonoma State University chapter general membership meeting
Topic: How Have the Budget Crisis and Creeping Outsourcing Impacted You?
Noon-1 p.m., Schulz 1121
Information: Leeanne Bowes (707) 664-3097
Thursday, August 21
Alliance for the CSU Night at Long Beach Armada’s baseball game v. Chico Outlaws
7 p.m., Blair Field, Long Beach
Saturday, August 30
Alliance Night at Chico Outlaws baseball game
7 p.m., Nettleton Field, CSU Chico
Email for more information
Saturday-Sunday, September 6-7
Southern regional organizing training. Crowne Plaza Hotel Redondo Beach and Marina
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See back issues of CSUEU E-News, distributed every other Thursday.
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