November 28, 2011

FSU Executive Committee  Meeting: Monday, 11/28/11

Present: Catherine Lynde, Larry Kaye (minutes), Heike Schotten, John Hess, Kathy Kogan, Marlene Kim, Cat Mazza, Jeffrey Keisler, Mickey Gallagher 

Tim Fitzgerald sat in on the meeting. He was recently appointed interim director of Higher Ed. for MTA; he is in the process of visiting locals to see how they feel about MTA services. He will make additional contact with us in the near future.
1) CL: the newsletter looks great!
2) CL: we need to do a write-up on the Campaign for Higher Ed. efforts
Specifics:
a)    The pension reform passed. This includes the option of transfer out of ORP into SERS which will happen about a year from now. We will keep members informed about this
b)    The “evergreen” law, which now means that previous contracts are still in effect when they expire but a new contract has not yet been settled
c)    Casino legislation has passed; this will partially fund higher ed. (about 8% goes to HE)
3) CL: we are in the process of sending members to dept. meetings—about 6 depts. so far; we will have a talking points draft.
4) CL: the MTA Vision Project—purpose is to develop a stament on the university assessment issue from a union point of view. Arthur MacEwen has been is working on this
KK: we should work UMB’s small class size limit into this
JK: national contacts on this issue would be useful
TF: MTA feels it is lacking in policy statements; this is a first step toward rectifying that
5) CL:UMB is setting up parking focus group for input: they want to use the Expo lot with shuttle buses; they will bargain parking with all the unions jointly
6a) JH: Wheatley air quality: flooding has now stopped; there is mold on the 6th floor; asbestos has been discovered in some walls. There is a new problem in the GCOE area (floors ½) with smoke fumes being sucked from stair wells into offices. JH has been pressing them for a report but nothing so far
CL/MG: we need to take formal action to get them to issue a report.
6b) CM: there is an on-going situation with a student diagnosed with TB who has exposed other students and some faculty; administration is not dealing with it well
MG: will look into contractual basis for a grievance
7) CL: we may want to create a joint union retreat to plan a campaign to combat the administration not doing their job (much support for this idea was expressed)
8) Discussion and vote on bargaining team members; result:
Marlene Kim (TT), Marilyn Frankenstein (TT), Larry Kaye (NTT) and Sandy Howland (NTT) were selected for the team, with Catherine Lynde (TT) and Kathy Kogan (NTT) as alternates
9) discussion of bargain survey by CL and LK—see subsequent email with our summary and analysis
10) CL: bargaining; the scheme is to offer us 3.5% a year in exchange for giving up our claim to trigger money, and to put this in the House I bill, which would happen very quickly, and then bargain other issues.
11) brief report on grievances, MG and LK: the “year of compliance” is going well so far, we’ve had 5-6 NTT issues resolved in the first grievance step, and there’s more being pursued
12) KK: the NTT service issue was discussed at the last NTT caucus; there are differing views on this among members.