Classification and Compensation Update

As part of an agreement with the College, LCCEF performed a study to compare the compensation of LCC employees to those of other public sector employers in the region.

Please see the full report by clicking on the link below.

MOA’s – Compensation for Work Days in Excess of 260 Annually & Article 7

Your bargaining team is continuing to meet with the college and make progress at the table.

We have two more agreements signed last week with the college over Article 7 language and compensation for work days over 260 each year.

The bargaining team will continue to meet with the college as they work to find agreement and understanding over House Bill 2016, Senate Bill 1049, and the Classification and Compensation Study.

View Fullscreen

Vote #2 on the Proposed Amendments to our LCCEF Constitution

Vote on the Proposed Amendments to our Lane Community College Employee Federation Constitution.
Second half of all 19 items to be considered.

All approved with more than 68% of ballots cast.

Don Patton

LCCEF Elections Chair

Fix the Gap, Pay Equity Now!

IT’S TIME FOR FRED MEYER TO FIX THE GAP WOMEN DESERVE FAIR PAY NOW

FACT: FRED MEYER IS UNDERPAYING FEMALE EMPLOYEES.

FRED MEYER PAYS WOMEN LESS THAN MEN, $3.70 PER HOUR¹ ON AVERAGE. IT’S TIME TO FIX THE GAP. Over a career this could equal $122,000 in lost wages. Women are twice as likely to be hired into lower-paying Schedule B jobs. Schedule A earns around 25% more per hour than Schedule B.²

TAKE ACTION Show your support for pay equity for Fred Meyer employees by taking action online. Sign a petition, learn more about the campaign, e-mail managers at Fred Meyer and more: www.FixTheGapOregon.com

BOYCOTT AT FRED MEYER Do not shop at departments where UFCW Local 555 has canceled their contract with Fred Meyer! For a complete list of all boycotted departments, please visit: www.ufcw555.org/boycott

View Fullscreen

1. https://www.wweek.com/news/2019/07/05/portland-area-grocery-store-workers-vote-to-authorize-strike-over-low-wages
2. https://nwlaborpress.org/2019/06/union-report-men-out-earn-women-at-fred-meyer

08/05/2019 Weekly Communications Update

Bargaining – Ballots due Thursday, Aug. 8, 12pm Noon

Don’t forget to vote on the current MOA. Ballots are due by noon on Thursday August 8, 2019. Drop-off ballots at the following locations:

IT Help Desk, Building 2, Room 114
Front Desk, Building 30, Room 103
Downtown campus, Continuing Education reception area.

It is recommended that voters drop off ballots at one of the above drop boxes, rather than use interoffice mail or postal service delivery to submit ballots this week.

Bargaining Team Recommendation

Your bargaining team recommends ratification of this MOA because it contains many “big wins” including zero cost to employees now and controlled costs in the future with the stop loss language. We have fought to increase the Full Family contribution from the college, add Short Term Disability coverage, and weekly Wellness Release Time. In addition, the current MOA will take insurance off the table which will strengthen future bargaining efforts for wages and working conditions. Your bargaining team used the most recent survey results to inform our decisions.

FAQs

What are the highlights between this TA and the first one?

Similarities between both MOAs
- Increased (college contribution) Full Family health insurance premium by $181.29 per month (“cap”)
- 1.75% Salary Schedule Adjustment for move to OEBB effective July 1, 2019
- Stop Loss Language
- Added Health Savings Account and college contribution
- Section 125 (FSA) remains the same in Year 1
Current MOA announced 7/24/19
- 1 Year Agreement
- COLA 1%
- Wellness release time equivalent to 1 hour a week
- Pay for the two days worked above contracted 260 days for current academic year for eligible employees
- Tuition Waivers for Retirees
- Supplement Insurance – college contribution increased and added Short Term Disability
- Internal eligibility to part time employees
- Continued bargaining for
  - Potential insurance increases if PacificSource extension is necessary
  - Senate Bill 1049
  - House Bill 2016
  - Article VII – Dues and Fair Share Deductions
  - Monetary compensation for Classification and Compensation
- “Us Too” Language
MOA Announced on 6/12/19 – Failed Ratification
- 2 Year Agreement
- No COLA
- Reduced Section 125 (FSA) in Year 2

How is the wellness time different from the class attendance provision in the current contract?

The wellness time language was recommended to accommodate the loss of access to the on-campus health clinic and provides release time equivalent to one credit hour class per work for college wellness program activities as outlined in 13.2 in the current contract.

If we kept Pacific Source, what would be the estimated increase to my pay deduction?

Per Paycheck / Per Month Increased deduction amounts

What is the estimated financial benefit to an employee based on the current MOA?

The College estimates the following from their last proposal:

Value of 1.75% increase:
- Pay level 4, step 10 = $516.00 increase/year
- Pay level 8, step 10 = $661.00 increase/year
- Pay level 12, step 10 = $849.00 increase/year
- Pay level 14, step 10 = $982.00 increase/year
Value of move to OEBB if enroll in same tier:
- Employee Only = $2,825/first year
- Employee + One = $7,395/first year
- Full Family = $8,793/first year

Wait, why are we still bargaining after this MOA?

There is recent legislation that requires our attention. The bargaining team decided to move forward with the current agreement to settle insurance and other economic factors. The ongoing bargaining issues were not time-sensitive and can be discussed and negotiated at a later date.

What can I do to continue to help with bargaining?

Remind classified union members to vote before the deadline.
Help share accurate information about the current MOA.
Continue to wear red!

Please send questions, or support, to the bargaining team.

OEBB & PEBB Double Coverage

Senate Bill 1067 (SB 1067). This law that was passed in 2017 would have affected your benefits starting October 1. Many of you expressed your concerns about the changes, and your voices were heard!

Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed House Bill 2266 (HB 2266) on June 25. This bill reversed the parts of SB 1067 affecting OEBB and PEBB double coverage and opt-out incentives before they took effect. This means:

Your family can continue to be double covered on more than one OEBB or PEBB plan.
You can also continue to receive a monthly incentive by opting out of your medical coverage.
You must be covered on another group plan
Your employer must offer this incentive.

So, it’s “business as usual” for the 2019-20 plan year – double coverage and opt-out incentives will still be allowed. HB 2266 will require a surcharge in 2020-21 for those double-covered in OEBB or PEBB medical plans. The OEBB Board will determine the surcharge amount to OEBB members. It will not take effect until October 1, 2020. We will keep you informed as more details become available.

Insurance Committee

In the event that the membership vote for OEBB the insurance committee chose the OEBB plans.

2019-20 Insurance Information and Links
This page will be updated as we find more information to educate us on our new insurance and resources. Please check here first if you have questions about coverage, rates or if a specific doctor is available to you.

The Joint Insurance Committee is composed of 10 classified members and 7 managers.

*** Note there is no decision to go to OEBB. The membership will vote on insurance.***

Classified Staff Spotlight

Congratulations to Allene Gibson from the Counseling & Advising department, who was selected by the Employee Recognition Program to be honored for the Winter Term 2019. Thanks to Patsy Slaughter and the Classified Professional Development Team for recognizing employees throughout the academic year.

Have a classified staff member you would like to recognize? Send it to communications@lccef.org.

Union Benefits – Discounts on almost everything

Free College

Union Plus Free College, brought to you in partnership with AFSCME, offers union members and their families the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree for FREE, completely online.

Students can choose programs that include Business Management, Teacher Education, Criminal Justice, Cyber Security, Information Systems and more!

Classes are offered through Eastern Gateway Community College, an accredited, public and non-profit college. Don’t let your members miss out!

New classes begin every 8 weeks, and the next start date is August 19, 2019!

More info here: https://www.unionplusfreecollege.org/

Upcoming and Current Work.

Many hands make light work! We could REALLY use your help! To participate in any of these opportunities, or to find out more, click here.

Bargaining – Economic Reopener – Currently underway
Research into e-Voting for union business
The Constitution and ByLaws rewrite
LCCEF Contract Committee (educate members and managers)
Member Organizer Institute
Officers in Training
Worksite Leaders
Grievance Committee

————-

Useful Links

July 2019 Bargaining Survey Results

Insurance

FSA (Section 125) employer contribution

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)

Step Increase or COLA

7/15/2019 Weekly Communications Update

Board Meeting July 11, 2019

So proud of our members for turning out to the July 11, 2019 Board Meeting!!!! Thank you to everyone who attended! We filled the inside of the board room with a sea of red. We spilled into the lobby and soon after 6:30pm there was a crowd outside the boardroom windows in red and holding signs! A very happy moment!! Several members read statements they had prepared and this as well as the attendance certainly had an impact on the board members. At the end of the meeting several board members thanked the classified staff for their attendance and testimonies. They stated they also want fair wages and affordable insurance for the employees. At least 3 board members stated they were appalled to hear a story shared by Andy McClure. Andy shared how in the past a board member compared classified employees to children begging for allowance. He went on to share the ways he earns his money! The board members stated they certainly did not share that belief and are appalled that a board member would ever say such a thing. Thanks also go to Adrienne Mitchel, Faculty President, who showed up in her red LCCEF shirt and spoke on in support of classified employees. Let’s hope we made a big enough impact that we can settle a TA this week! If not we will ramp up our activity. Stay tuned!

If you haven’t already, signed the “I Deserve a Raise!” pledge card it is highly recommended! Just talk to your favorite officer if you need to get your hands on a pledge card.

We managed to take a few pictures you can view here. If anyone else took pictures we would love to have them. Send them to communications@lccef.org. Also if anyone did a head count of the crowd outside we would love to know that number as well. Thank you once again!!

Bargaining – Economic Reopener

Our latest Bargaining Update is after the meeting on July 10, 2019. Please send questions, or support, to the bargaining team. You can also use the forums to discuss bargaining, but please remember to keep it professional.

This week Bargaining sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, from 11:30-12:30 and Wednesday, July 17, 11:00-12:30 both will be in CEN303. Check these weekly messages, or the calendar at lccef.org, for future dates.

Classified members are welcome and encouraged to attend the sessions. We recognize the hardship for some employees who are unable to take personal time to join; consider taking an early lunch and eat with us. Even showing up during your 15 minute break is a demonstration of solidarity and will make an impact. Please be sure to coordinate with your manager. Sitting in on bargaining can not be done on paid time, so you will need to use a lunch hour, break or personal/vacation time and be sure that attending does not negatively impact your daily work.

Thank you to those members showing support by displaying posters, wearing red on Bargaining Days, sitting in on Bargaining Sessions, attending General Member Meetings, and Board Meetings. We can’t do this without YOU!

Details about bargaining meetings will be posted each Monday and referenced in the weekly communications update (just like this). All posts will be available through the Bargaining Committee page on the website.

Bargaining Survey

If you are a full, dues paying member, please take a few minutes to fill out the survey so we know what to bargain for.

Survey Forms:

Take A Selfie to Show Your Support for a Fair Contract!

We are asking members to show your support by uploading a selfie of you wearing your red union shirt and holding a fair contract sign. All the photos that we receive will be entered in a drawing and winners will get some Lane swag. Send photos to: LCCEF@lanecc.edu.

Do You Want to Vote on the Next Contract Ratification?

If you would like your voice to count in the next contract ratification vote please turn in a membership form to any Union Officer before TODAY! It may already be too late but we will try to make it happen. We hope to have another TA ready to vote on August 1, 2019. Please be aware signing the membership form commits you to a minimum of one year. If you have questions about joining the Union talk to any of your Union Officers or send us an email at lccef@lancc.edu

OEBB & PEBB Double Coverage

Senate Bill 1067 (SB 1067). This law that was passed in 2017 would have affected your benefits starting October 1. Many of you expressed your concerns about the changes, and your voices were heard!

The governor signed House Bill 2266 (HB 2266) on June 25. This bill reversed the parts of SB 1067 affecting OEBB and PEBB double coverage and opt-out incentives before they took effect. This means:

Your family can continue to be double covered on more than one OEBB or PEBB plan.
You can also continue to receive a monthly incentive by opting out of your medical coverage.
You must be covered on another group plan
Your employer must offer this incentive.

Insurance Committee

In the event that the membership vote for OEBB the insurance committee chose the OEBB plans.

The Joint Insurance Committee is composed of 10 classified members and 7 managers.

*** Note there is no decision to go to OEBB. The membership will vote on insurance.***

Do Your Part for Bargaining

The bargaining team needs your help!

Office Signs

If you have an office with a highly visible window and you would like a “Fair Contract NOW” sign, contact communications@lccef.org and we’ll get you one. If you aren’t up to a big sign, get a smaller version here. It will look great on your office door, or in your cubicle.

Wear red on bargaining days

The bargaining team needs administration to see that the Classified union stands together. Looking out the window on the 3rd floor of the Center Building during bargaining and seeing red shirts helps more than you know!

Union Benefits – Discounts on almost everything

Strike Benefits

No one likes to use the “S” word, but we are dangerously close to having to step up, or lay down. AFT offers several benefits to help out during a strike, but most require using AFT’s credit services. Check out the list here. If you are in the market for something they offer, it might be worth using them.

More info here: https://www.unionplus.org/hardship-help/strike-benefits

Upcoming and Current Work.

Many hands make light work! We could REALLY use your help! To participate in any of these opportunities, or to find out more, click here.

Bargaining – Economic Reopener – Currently underway
Research into e-Voting for union business
The Constitution and ByLaws rewrite
LCCEF Contract Committee (educate members and managers)
Member Organizer Institute
Officers in Training
Worksite Leaders
Grievance Committee

————-

Useful Links

Board of Ed – July 11, 2019

Huge THANKS to everybody who attended the Board meeting on Thursday!!

You all did an excellent job turning out, wearing your Red shirts, and sharing your thoughts with the board!

5.16.19 Board of Ed Message

Statement to Board of Education from Kenny Ascheri, LCCEF Vice President, May 16, 2019

Good evening,

I’m Kenny Ascheri, Vice President of LCCEF and Lead Programmer Analyst in Information Technology and my pronouns are he/him/his.

First, I want to thank everybody who was involved in Lane’s Fund our Future: Community College Rally on May 8. I really appreciate the leadership, dedication, and hard work by Student Government President Nick Keough, Faculty President Adrienne Mitchell, and our Federation President Robin Geyer. I appreciate all the volunteers that showed support by spreading the message, and showing up to help facilitate a seamless event. Thank you to President Hamilton, Board Chair Eyster, VP Paul Jarrell, and all of our speakers for sharing their strong messages of support for more Community College funding.

Classified staff are in the midst of a Classification and Compensation study that was contractually agreed to be completed almost a year ago. Can you believe we are hiring employees without accurate job classifications in place? Well, we have hundreds and most are 20 years old. Why hasn’t this study been completed and implemented historically? The last one was in 2005 and implementation didn’t happen. Why are we so far behind? Where is the leadership for equitable improvements here?

Professional Development for classified staff. We all want employees to be more efficient, more engaged, happier, healthier, and have bandwidth to take on more tasks. This is where professional development comes in – employees need leaders; managers or others who are going to clear the space and build the infrastructure for them to grow. Also money, there has been a meager budget of just $25,000 a year for Classified while Faculty have upwards of $300,000 a year. Why such a discrepancy? Does this speak to value because it sure does to Classified Employees.

The Administration has provided the Federation their ORS 279B analysis. According to AFT Or. Legal Counsel it did not encompass the statutory requirements for a financial analysis related to contracting out, which include:

Average or actual salary or wage and benefit costs for contractors and employees who
- Work in the industry or business most closely involved in performing the services that the contracting agency intends to procure; and
- Would be necessary and directly involved in performing the services or who would inspect, supervise or monitor the performance
Material costs, including costs for space, energy, transportation, storage, raw and finished materials, equipment and supplies; and
Miscellaneous costs related to performing the services, including but not limited to reasonably foreseeable fluctuations in the costs for the items identified in this subsection over the expected duration of the procurement

Is the College’s legal unaware of these requirements or did they and the college decide to purposefully leave this information out?

LCCEF is meeting with administrators on Labor Management issues and Bargaining. We spend a lot of time together with very little gain especially when considering the amount of time we meet.

Nearly every year Classified staff have continued to take on more medical costs because of reduction to benefits in lieu of cutting other budgeted expenses; for example: manager positions and salaries, capital investments like Titan Court or the old Downtown Campus, just to name a few. It hasn’t solved the problem yet, why is Administration banking on this solution again? If you want different results than what you’re getting, you have to try different approaches.

Administration boasts that they will fill 11 manager positions and 20 classified positions. To put that in perspective assuming full time employment, 11 manager positions is about 18.5% of that group’s total FTE while 20 classified positions is only about 6% of the total classified FTE. Why is it that manager FTE is increasing at 3 times the rate of classified staff? Why is it that every way you cut it, total FTE of classified positions is decreasing while the same is not true for management positions? This is not sustainable and classified staff are not going to stand quietly.

Administration has dispersed a Bargaining Cost Calculator worksheet which identifies all positions in all funds, including vacant ones that they intend to fill. They have identified over 90% of the vacant management FTE to be filled while only identifying 63% of classified FTE to fill. Based on the latest Personel Trends Summary [attached] from the college budget website, Management FTE has increased to be greater now than it was during our peak enrollment. The manager position list for FY19 totals 67.85 FTE, an increase of 7% over surge enrollment manager FTE. Additionally, manager FTE is continuing to increase to 71.7 in FY20. This continues to push the ceiling higher as administration budgets 13% more manager FTE than in FY12, FY13, and FY16. In this time of critically low enrollment, the lowest in 10 years, why is it that there is more manager FTE budgeted now than there was with twice the enrolled student FTE? Why has manager FTE increased 13% more than surge enrollment years while classified FTE has decreased 25%? Repeatedly, we’re seeing managers take more and give less to their classified staff.

Lastly, I need to touch on the tender topic of harassment, bullying, slander, and libel at LCC. Lot’s of that is happening and has been for years. Why? Why has the college ignored these types of behaviour? We have a new Administration and we are just now starting to see changes and action that’s long overdue. We want to emphasize the importance of this work when selecting a new Chief Human Resources Officer and the importance of the Administration’s support for the CHRO in this work. Let’s not keep repeating the mistakes of the past.

Thank you,

Kenny Ascheri

Summary of Vacancies to be filled
Classification	FTE on March Vacancy list to BDS	FTE to be filled	Fill rate
Classified	28.93	18.43	63.70%
Faculty	21.09	12.34	58.50%
Managers	12	10.85	90.40%

https://www.lanecc.edu/sites/default/files/budget/personnel_trends_summary.pdf

Cultural Competency Training May 9, 6-8 pm by ASLCCSG

Good afternoon fellow Classified staff,

This evening, ASLCCSG is hosting a cultural competency training open to all community members. LCC’s caring students have worked hard to put together this event and would appreciate the LCC staff support.

Here is a message from Multicultural Program Coordinator Chavon Wright and Gender and Sexuality Diversity Advocate Cameron Santiago:

I, Cameron Santiago, GSDA and Chavon Wright, Multicultural Program
Coordinator of ASLCCSG present to you the first ever student funded
professional development opportunity: Cultural Competency Training!

Cultural competency is the ability of an individual or organization to
effectively interact with people of different cultures. Students, faculty,
and staff have been under served by the lack of efforts made to provide
this crucial training to members of our community. As members of ASLCC
Student Government we have decided to provide this to our students,
faculty, and staff. The training will be delivered by Dr. Da Verne Bell,
the Director of Equity and Inclusion at Saint Mary’s Academy. Dr. Bell has
over 25 years of experience in equity training and positions.

The training is on* Thursday, May 9th, 2019 from 6-8pm in the Haugland
Commons (Center Building, Second Floor)*. *The location has been changed* *from
the Longhouse* so as to accommodate space for a board meeting.

We are so excited to see you all there!

If you are able to attend, be sure to sign in as the students have worked with our office of Equity & Inclusion to ensure tracking of cultural competency training hours.

Kenny Ascheri

VP LCCEF