Biweekly news digest from the California State University Employees Union
If you would like to receive CSUEU E-News directly via email, please sign up at the CSUEU site.
NO TO THE PARKING PAY CUT!
MIKE GECK HEADS UP SECURITY FOR OCCUPY SAN DIEGO
CSU RAMPS UP PLANS FOR ONLINE CLASSES
CSEA FOUNDATION NEARS THIS YEAR'S FUNDRAISING GOAL
PHARMACY BENEFIT CHANGES FOR CALPERS MEMBERS
SIGN UP FOR THE MEMBER BENEFITS NEWSLETTER
* * *
No to the Parking Pay Cut!
As of the last round of bargaining, the CSU wants to leave it up to the CSU campuses to decide when and how parking fees are increased. Clearly, a hike in staff parking fees equals a cut in pay! Contact your chapter president to sign a hard copy petition or sign the online petition to let the CSU Board of Trustees know that you oppose the parking pay cut.
Three days of contract bargaining between CSUEU and the CSU concluded two weeks ago at Long Beach State (October 18-19) and Dominguez Hills (October 20). Among the many important issues that were discussed:
- A key proposal in Article 3 to put a check on the wasteful contracting out of bargaining unit jobs
- Salaries and the classification and compensation system
- Article 24 (Layoff)
Read the October 25 bargaining update for full details.
“We’re going to be meeting again on December 5, 6, and 7 at the Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach, where we’ll continue pushing hard for a fair and just contract that puts no further financial strains on our members, given the flatlining of salaries over the last five-plus years,” said VP for Representation Russell Kilday-Hicks.
“During this time, it’s important for all CSUEU-represented employees to follow contract negotiation developments closely,” he added. “The bargaining team truly benefits from strong support from all CSUEU members.”
Heading Up Security for Occupy San Diego
by Mike Geck, President, CSU San Marcos Chapter 321
The Occupy Movement has taken our country by storm, with an occupation in every major metropolitan city, including San Diego.
My involvement with Occupy San Diego began with the two-week planning period prior to our big occupation kick-off march on October 7. After starting out on the Outreach Committee and getting the word out at CSUSM and SDSU, I gravitated to the Security Committee and spent about five days prior to the 7th helping train a rag-tag team that had little experience doing security for big protest marches. Those years in my late teens, all through my 20s, and my early 30s doing security at many protest marches and events sure came in handy.
I was chosen to be the “lead” for the 2,000-plus-person march through downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp District on the 7th and a follow-up march on the 8th. The Occupy Movement is by in large leaderless and horizontal in structure, and, as such, there is no Security/Safety Committee "leader." Right before the march on the 7th, I had a brief conversation with SDPD Asst. Chief Boyd Long, during which I basically told him, “We’ve got this. All we need from SDPD is to block traffic and to come to our aid should the need arise.”
Aside from a significant route change that I had to make half-way through, the march went off without a hitch. We even got props for a job well done by the assistant chief. It was one of the most amazing days I’ve ever experienced (aside from my wedding and birth of my children), and CSUEU was there to make sure it was safe and successful.
I encourage each and every member to participate in their local Occupy and continue to strengthen the bond and solidarity between labor and the Occupy Movement. This movement continues to rage on and grow daily, and, while no one knows where it will all lead, we do know this:
We are the 99%!
We are legion!
We will be silent no longer!
We will not be quiet until we affect the change we are fighting for!
EXPECT US!
CSU Ramps Up Plans for Online Classes
Last Sunday, October 30, the San Francisco Chronicle published a revealing article detailing CSU’s behind-the-scenes plans to expand its slate of online classes, a development that moves the CSU system one step further down the road to privatization.
“This is evidence of CSU management’s momentum toward a for-profit model and of the continuing watering down of the Master Plan,” said CSUEU President Pat Gantt. “With online classes, fees go up, all too often quality suffers, and the very middle- and lower-class students for whom the CSU system was originally created get squeezed out.”
Online training is going out of fashion at the very time that the CSU is ramping it up. For instance, the University of Illinois’ online division opened in 2007, spent $7 million, and closed in 2009, hampered by shoddy curriculum and lack of buy-in by the campus community.
“The values that have made CSU one of the largest and most successful university systems in the country are at stake with each step toward this kind toward privatization,” said Gantt.
See the job description for the CSU Online Executive Director.
CSEA Foundation Nears This Year’s Fundraising Goal: Just $10K Left to Go!
by Joan Kennedy, President, CSEA Foundation Board of Directors
The CSEA Foundation’s 2011fundraising goal is $30,000, and we’ve already raised approximately $20,000, so we’re getting very close to our goal. The foundation’s mission is to promote and nurture the philanthropic spirit as we provide scholarships to worthy students. With a December 31 deadline, we now have less than two months left to raise the last $10,000.
The Foundation Board would like to thank the anonymous $10,000 donor who has aided us to reach our fundraising goal for our children’s college future. This generous donation will allow us to provide larger scholarship amounts next year.
You can help us achieve that goal, bearing in mind that all donations are tax-deductable. You may donate by visiting our web site and choosing from our donation suggestions on the right hand side:
Use the DONATE NOW button to access our PayPal program- Sign up for a Capital One Visa card; for every purchase you make, the foundation receives a percentage (on your very first purchase, the foundation receives $50)
- Visit our e-Store and purchase items for your chapter – the foundation receives a percentage of each purchase and 4) you may donate the old fashion way by writing a check and sending it directly to the CSEA Foundation, 1108 “O” Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
- If you’re attending this weekend’s CSUEU Board of Directors meeting, participate in the entertaining fundraising auction
Three CSEA Foundation Board of Directors positions will open in January; if you’re interested in applying, please send a letter of intent and your resume to Gae Van Wagoner or mail before December 31 to: CSEA Foundation, 1108 “O” Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Pharmacy Benefit Changes for CalPERS Health Plan Members
Beginning January 1, CalPERS members will see a few changes in their health plan pharmacy benefits approved by the CalPERS Board of Administration earlier this year.
One change is a “member pays the difference” requirement. Under this new rule, when a doctor prescribes a brand name drug – and a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved generic equivalent is available – the member will pay the difference between the costs of the brand name and the generic drug. The member will also have to make the generic drug co-payment.
Another change is that the co-payment for retail pharmacy purchases of brand name drugs will increase by $5.
CalPERS Board members approved the increase in its members’ share of pharmacy benefits due in large part to the fact that CalPERS is below the median copayment for preferred drugs.
Read CalPERS’ November 1 press release for more details.
Sign Up to Receive the Monthly Member Benefits Newsletter
With the holiday season fast approaching, every dollar counts. The November edition of the CSEA Member Benefits newsletter features discounts for CSUEU-represented employees on gifts, electronics, special events, travel destinations, insurance and more.
An easy way to save money through your Member Benefits department: have the newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox once a month by subscribing at the Member Benefits web site.
* * *
See back issues of CSUEU E-News, distributed every other Thursday.
— End —