PAJARO VALLEY FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MINUTES
September 13, 2004

Carolyn Savino led meeting at Adult Ed. Conference Room C. Timekeeper is Linda Espejo, facilitator is Pat Christie.

Introduction to Building Reps, pick up AFT signs and Kerry signs for Union bulletin boards. Reminder about meeting rules, information first, then clarifying question, then call to vote. Time needs to be voted on to be extended.

Pat Burnett moves to approve minutes from May 10, 2004; Judy Ashton seconds; all agree.

Old Business

Negotiating Team
After Negotiating team meets with District, a one pager flyer will be sent out for informational purposes.

Introductions
Negotiating Team made introductions they included Carmen Gagne, Michael Hillyer, Peggy Pughe, George Lerek, and Joe Manildi.
They are looking for a middle school rep and we be having interviews soon.

District Benefits Proposal
There are three major proposals that have to do with benefits:

  1. to move to a managed chiropractic plan
  2. remove Landmark (acupuncture)
  3. change co-pay prescription drug charge from $0-25 to $ 5-15-25, meaning $5 for generic, $15 for a formulary prescriptions, and $25 for non-formulary brand names.

Negotiating Team does not want this proposal as of right now. District has budgeted for 5% increase in benefits per year, actual increase per year in benefits is 15%. Part of the 10% difference has been picked up by reenrollment of employees, EAP company change and implementing 90 – 10 coverage on all medical procedures as originally agreed to. Actual difference district is trying to make up is 7%.

There is a lot of pressure because budget has to be approved this year and the two following years. If Negotiating Team does not settle the benefits issue, there will most likely be an unapproved budget by the COE which means that the COE would send a fiscal advisor into the district to oversee the budget. This cannot affect any bargained agreements that preceded the take-over, but can have an impact on everything else. The District, obviously, wants an answer yesterday.

Negotiating team needs/wants more time to compare benefits to other districts and to wrap this into the “big picture”.
PVUSD has a reserve, yet are in deficit spending, which is not allowing a balanced budget the following two years.
There are other things in the budget besides benefits. We want the lesser of two evils: County v. Board of Trustees

Any changes in benefits have to be agreed on by the membership. Classified has ratified this same benefit package. (The package includes an HMO chiropractic plan with a $10 co-pay; the elimination of acupuncture benefit; and a change to the prescription card to a $5/ 15/ 25 model.)

  • *time: Darlene Wilcox moves to extend time by 5 minutes, Don Brown seconds, majority agrees.

Survey/Sunshine
Carmen Gagne announces that the negotiations team will be putting out a survey that will aid in generating a sunshine proposal. Any TA that the negotiations team agrees to will be brought to the general membership to vote on.

Membership wants to make sure that if the District is not giving information that we want to make sure that all questions are answered before any agreement and before coming to membership to ratify..

NCLB
4 th Year Schools: the state and feds have different ideas of what years schools are in. This means that it is a possibility that some of 4 th year schools could still be considered 3 rd year school in the eyes of the federal government. That would be good news.

Scores—celebrate: Congratulations Starlight who grew 61 points. All schools made their API score.

Restructuring: Any school considered 4 th year is required to have radical changes made to it. It could become a charter school; a private company could take over; or there could be a complete change in administration and teachers (reconstitution) or a restructuring plan that would bring about significant change.

RSRA – AFT Program: We have invited AFT to come help these schools to benefit everyone. Dr. Mays is on board with this idea. The program is called “Restructuring Schools to Raise Achievement” which includes a union-management partnership, and empowers staffs at their sites to choose the researched based program that best meets their needs.

New Business

COPE/Political Information:
Discussed by Ellen Mellon, Dan Spelce, Judith Dew, and Abel Mejia.
--Ellen gave the membership a history of the endorsement process that leads them to tonight:
In February COPE committee sign ups began. There are 3 area seats up for elections, COPE started looking for candidates. There are 7 candidates running for 3 seats. COPE along with CSEA formed a questionnaire for candidates, which was used at the PVFT/CSEA forum. There was a good turnout at the forum. There were set questions posed from PVFT and CSEA with additional questions from the membership which led to a straw ballot for each union. COPE came up with 3 candidates to endorse:

Area 3—Karen Osmundson, because she is involved in community movements, an organizer for SEIU negotiations, a union ally, and wants all charter schools staffed with union oriented credentialed teachers.

Area 2—Doug Keegan, an attorney because he's articulate, the classroom is a priority and has worked on WHS site council.

Area 6—Sandra Nichols, because she was experienced, an AFT member, a teacher working with bi-lingual students, and a union supporter

  • *Betty Peck moves to extend time by 10 minutes, Frank Dunbar seconds; all agree.

Discussion ensued on the pros and cons on Sandra Nichols vs. Anastacio Andrade.

  • *Frank Dunbar moves to endorse candidates, Bill Callahan Seconds
    • Doug Keegan will be endorsed by a unanimous vote
      Karen Osmundson will be endorsed by a 31-1 vote
  • *Lowell Hurst moves not to endorse anyone from area 6, Don Brown seconds this motion
  • *Dan Spelce offers a modified motion to have PVFT endorse both candidates from area 6 (Lowell Hurst and Don Brown agree)
  • *Mike Vasser moves to extend time by 2 minutes, Betty Peck seconds; all agree
  • *Mike Vasser moves to call the question, Frank Dunbar seconds; all agree
  • *Vote on whether or not to endorse both candidates from area 6 10-yes 22-no; motioned defeated
  • *Don Brown makes motion to endorse Sandra Nichols, Darlene Wilcox seconds; 30-yes 5-no. PVFT will endorse Sandra Nichols
  • *Leigh Hill moves to extend time 2 minutes, Donna Blasé seconds; all agree

There is a MBCLC forum tonight (9-13-04) at Cabrillo College room 313 to endorse candidates

October 14 PVFT and AMAE will sponsor a community forum at the City Council Chambers at 6:30pm for all candidates which will be facilitated by the League of Women Voters.

Prop 72: Tabled

November Elections: Mamiche Young discussed up-coming elections and the need for support from members to contribute by phone banking, precinct walking, or donations to COPE.

Budgets: The Education Coalition allowed the suspension of Prop 98 and lost $2 billion for education which there is no guarantee that it will ever be repaid.

State: State budget bad this year, bad next year, and by year 3 the state has to pay all it has borrowed from other groups back. Doesn't look good!

District: The district budget could be disapproved on Sept. 22. A fiscal overseer will have to look at structure of budget. District cannot plan on deficit spending. Board capped benefits at 5%, and will not cut transportation. After 3 years there will be a need to dip into reserves.

  • Move to extend budget, denied

Building Rep Training: Executive Council decided to have trainings be more effective PVFT will have one for each zone
PVFT is looking for input on what you as building reps want to be trained on to make you more effective at your site

Job Description: To receive a stipend you must complete the following:

  1. Must attend or have representative from your site at building rep/general membership meetings
  2. Get on your faculty staff agenda for the last 15 minutes or so
  3. Have union bulletin board up at your site
  4. Report back to union office on your activities
  5. Attend trainings

PVFT/PVUSD is planning a building rep-management retreat. We need to strengthen our voice at each site. There are fewer issue at sites where the building reps and principals have relationships

Parking Lot
Karen from Valencia wants training for new teachers on contract issues.
Special Ed. Teachers are not getting their lunches, union needs to meet with these teachers to form an agreement with district
Maryanne Frantz will help set up meeting and have union there.
Teachers are required by law to have 30 minutes duty free lunch.

Adjournment 6:30pm