Issue # 41: May 18, 2023
Update from AFT-Oregon Field Rep
Miche Dreiling
Bargaining Update:
At the table this week, we Tentatively Agreed to (TA’d) an article and discussed job classifications with management. Your bargaining team will be spending part of their beautiful sunny Sunday working through some proposals and hammering out contract language. It is our hope to bring quite a few proposals to the table, so that we can make significant progress before the summer begins.
Wait – What is a TA?
Your bargaining team’s job is to try to get the best possible contract for every member of classified staff at LCC. When we have passed proposals back and forth at the table enough times that both we and management think it’s as good as it’s going to get, we TA that article. Once all of the articles that are on the table have been TA’d, the whole agreement is sent to membership for a ratification vote. If the membership (that’s you!) approves the TA’d agreement, it becomes the new, ratified, contract. If the membership votes No on the TA, your bargaining team goes back to the table with management to try and negotiate something better.
This system is in place because collective bargaining is based on the principle of democracy – every worker ought to have a say in the contract they’re working under. Here’s the thing about democracy – it only works if people participate. So, if you know someone who works a classified job at LCC and they’re not a member of LCCEF, ask them why. Let them know that joining their union gives them a voice in this democratic process, and that you want them to have a voice!
They can fill out a form to join at lccef.org/membership.
Takeaways from the Membership Drive:
I enjoyed my time getting to meet some of you during last week’s membership drive! I learned that LCC has a Maker Space with 3D printers and incredibly knowledgeable classified and student staff supporting it. I learned that the Downtown Center is hoppin’ compared to Main Campus! And I learned that there are lots of classified folks who have great ideas about improving their working conditions. If you are one of these people, I encourage you to get involved with your union – join a committee, attend a General Membership Meeting (there are two of them today!) – every person who gets involved helps to make our union a little bit better and a little bit stronger.
Frankie on Vacation:
I will be out on vacation from Tuesday May 9th – Tuesday May 23rd. During that time I will be hanging out with my very energetic 2 year old Granddaughter Amelia and I am not sure if she and I will be able to be counted on to write for the newsletter. I’m pretty sure we will be busy playing blocks, taking walks, and watching cars drive by from the living room window, a few of her favorite activities.
During this time if you have a labor issue please contact our VP of Labor – Buck Potter. If you have a grievance please contact our Field Rep – Miche at miched@aft-oregon.org. If you can’t reach them you can reach out to Colin Vurek – VP of Organizing.
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Announcements and Reminders
DON’T FORGET TO WEAR RED ON WEDNESDAYS!
We have a Membership Drive scheduled for the week of May 8-12, 2023. CAT members and myself will be coming to departments for brief chats.
LCC BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE THE PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED WORK SESSION WHERE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE ALLOWED. YOU CAN FIND THE PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN UP ON BOARD:
https://go.boarddocs.com/or/lanecc/Board.nsf/goto
Newsletter Feedback
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The next two General Membership meetings will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm. And Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
Vice President of Labor Relations
Buck Potter (2022-2023 Term)
Labor Issues
Just a few updates: General Membership Meeting today at Noon and 5:15 PM, via Zoom. The links can be found in the LCCEF Union Calendar.
Been dealing with a recent uptick in Labor Management/Disciplinary Issues on Campus.
Labor History:
- May 16, 1900 – Painters 64 Union was created
- May 18, 1983 – SEIU Heathcare 1199NW was created
- May 20, 1926 – Railway Labor Act became law
- May 21, 2004 – 100,000 Unionized SBC Communications Inc. workers strike
Vice President of Organizing
Colin Vurek (2023-2024 Term)
Greetings members,
As many of you are aware, the college announced the closure of the LCC Health Clinic about two weeks ago. The ASLCC (Student union), LCCEA, (Faculty union) and your union LCCEF have joined in solidarity to prevent this from happening. Then this week President Bulger announced that she was forming a task force of one representative from the LCCEF, LCCEA and only one from the SALCC. She told the LCC community that this task force would only exist for 2-3 weeks. All 3 unions took umbrage to this plan. We’ve packed the house at the last two LCC Board meetings for a public comment. Last night I think we made some headway. All stakeholders who spoke in person and online urged the Board of Education to have more representation by the LCC stakeholders and that the task force be in place, at least, through Fall term 2023. I’ll keep you all posted! Thanks for your support!
THERE’S POWER IN A UNION!
BARGAINING CONTINUES MAY 30, 2023 AT 11:00AM!
Members are welcomed to observe via Zoom with your microphones and cameras OFF, please. I will be running a Slack Chat to allow observers to chat with me and I can pass ideas to the team at the table. I will actually be at the table also but bouncing into the chat to answer questions you may have. Email me your private email address to: colinlccef@ gmail.com so I can add you to the Slack chat. There is also a link below for anyone to RSVP on a Google form. You will find the link for the bargaining meeting below:
Join Zoom Meeting https://lanecc.zoom.us/j/96183623044
Meeting ID: 961 8362 3044
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,96183623044# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Feel free to use the image below as your Zoom background.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO RSVP TO BE SURE I GET YOU IN OUR BARGAINING CHAT PLEASE USE THE FORM BELOW:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1pnbX7ov68WrXYsvZOoPfq6peq0rF76C7knwiItj7dB8/edit?ts=6418c7e6
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THE NEW T-SHIRTS HAVE ARRIVED. WE HAVE PLENTY OF EVERY SIZE. Please email me at colinlccef@gmail.com to get yours!
I also have window clings and stickers for you to flaunt your support for your union! See below!
DON’T FORGET TO WEAR RED ON WEDNESDAYS!
UNION STRONG!
Grievance Officer
Vacant (2023-2024 Term)
If you are interested in the position of Grievance Officer, or just want to learn more about it, reach out to Buck Potter or Colin Vurek!
Treasurer
Linda Reling (2022-2023 Term)
I have been loving all of this sunshine! I haven’t been doing a great job so I will remind all of you, take your breaks! Get outside, take a breath, rest your eyes, work-life-balance and all of that. ????
Records Officer
Tracy Weimer (2022-2024 Term)
Communications Officer
Marleena Pearson (2022-2023 Term)
It is encouraging to see all the support as we come together for the health clinic. We need to maintain this level of involvement in our community college. We all know who makes the college function, and we have the experience and information needed to keep it running. Our actions will show the College we need to be heard and deserve better recognition through compensation, flexibility, balanced workloads, and a seat at the governance table.
Membership Officer
Skye Nguyen (2022-2023 Term)
Hello! The membership drive went great. We are always on the lookout for new members to make our power stronger in bargaining so if you know someone who may want to join point them to the membership form. 🙂
If there are any questions about membership or someone has interest in joining, they can reach out to me (membership@lccef.org) or fill out the online membership form!
Your Benefit Info of the Week
Did you know that members get some really useful benefits? This week we are highlighting free consumer credit counseling, budget advice and discounted debt management services for AFT members. These are 24 hours a day to help members with confidential financial guidance. If you are lost in finances get help in this ever changing financial world with this opportunity! You can learn about this opportunity you can get as a union member by visiting AFT’s website.
Find out what other benefits you are qualified for as union members by going to AFT.org.
Resources you may need!
- How to update your physical address on Expresslane.
- Complete this form for a Membership card or a new membership card! If you are a new member, one may have already been requested, contact the LCCEF Membership Officer for info.
- Submit an Important Life Event for you or another member may have coming up.
Chief Labor Delegate
Mark Jordan (2022-2023 Term)
COPE Officer
Fiora Starchild-Wolf (2022-2023 Term)
Election Results!
The May 16th Special Election is Over–Here are the Results for our LCC Board
Zone 1: Denise Diamond (Holli Johnson is stepping down)
Zone 2: Zach Mulholland (Angela Van Krause is stepping down)
Zone 5: Steve Mital-incumbent, won his reelection
Zone 6 At Large: Kevin Alltucker (Rosie Pryor is stepping down)
Zone 7 At Large: Lisa Fragala-incumbent, won her reelection
College Administration Wants to Close the Student Health Clinic!
Last night, LCCEF and LCCEA members once again joined in solidarity with students, speaking with the Board and our President to ask that they hold off on closing the Student Health Clinic.
After somewhat confusing messaging about what exactly would happen at the meeting, the Board made the decision to delay a vote until at least the June 7 meeting, but they did allow public comment.
Lisa Fragala, re-elected Board member stated that she will be on vacation at that time, and made a request that any vote be delayed until she could be present.
More Politics: The new Board members take their seats July 1, at the beginning of Lane’s fiscal year. It is clear that there are certain current Board members who would like to have the decision about the Health Clinic made prior to that happening.
Many students, faculty, and classified made impassioned and clear statements about the importance of the Student Health Clinic, the ability of the clinic to adapt to multiple potential methods that would increase usage and also increase ability to pay for itself.
- HB2002 passed in the Oregon Legislature this week, which includes funding specifically for the Lane Student Health Clinic, for example.
- Many commented on willingness and requests to expand the Student Health Clinic fee in some way to include online-only students, ABSE, ESL, and other non-credit constituencies.
- Comment about the Health Clinic’s location and “advertising” to students impacting it’s usage numbers, and ways to increase student awareness, brought up additional points to consider.
- Many commenters asked for a REAL task force that includes adequate voices from all stakeholders and that isn’t done during the final weeks of Spring term, when all on campus are busy preparing for finals, graduation, and many will leave for Summer.
And YOU, many of you, sent emails to the Board through our form!
This is where our solidarity can really help–both our students, and our colleagues who care for them every day in our Student Health Clinic.
Keep those emails coming! You can speak on any of the above issues, or add your own experiences.
Officer At Large
Katie Neall
Stay connected to LCCEF
Website: https://lccef.org/
Subscribe to Calendar: LCCEF Union Google Calendar
Email address: lccef@lanecc.edu
Resources you may need!
Submit an Important Life Event for you or another member may have coming up.
How to update your physical address on Expresslane.