Hello AMU Members,

Your bargaining team has started a new set of bargaining sessions over the past few weeks and would like to update you on the progress.

In this e-mail:

1)Introduction to bargaining teams

2)Bargaining process and sunshine letters

3)Meeting updates

1.     Action item: Fill out Additional Bargaining Questions Survey:  https://goo.gl/8yGqrZ 

5) "I Support My Bargaining Committee" Sign: https://goo.gl/pvXtw5

 

1.     Introduction to bargaining teams:

This year, the AMU Bargaining Team is made up of the following members:

•       Angel Maldonado – AMU President

•       Ed Sugden –  History teacher at Jackie Robinson

•       Ben West – AMU Bargaining Chair and Science teacher at Jackie Robinson

•       Yvonne Pruitt – History teacher at Oscar de la Hoya

•       Beth Gourlis – Science teacher at Phillis Wheatley

•       Penny Sevoian – CTA Staff Person

 

The management bargaining team is made up of the following members:

•       Annette Gonzalez – Chief Academic Officer

•       Leilani Abulon – Area Superintendent

•       Keith Yanov – In-house Counsel

•       Jim Young – Outside Counsel

•       Brian Reed– Principal at Pat Brown

 

1.     Bargaining Process and Sunshine Letters:

In order to begin bargaining, both AMU and management had to publicly disclose (sunshine) the articles we plan to negotiate this year.  Both sides presented sunshine letters at the December Board meeting. 

When creating our sunshine letter, we used data from the bargaining survey to identify member needs and priorities.  AMU sunshined the following items:

•       Article VI – Work Year and Hours of Employment

•       Article XV – Class Size

•       Article XXII – Working Conditions Related to Special Education

•       Article XXV – Leave Provisions

•        Article XXXVI – Compensation

 

Green  Dot sunshined the following items:

•       Article XIII – Grievance Procedures

•       Article XVII – Discipline

•       Article XXI – Multiple Measures of Effectiveness

•       Article XXV – Leave Provisions

•       Article XXVII – Health Benefits

 

This year, as in previous years, we will be bargaining using a process called Interest Based Bargaining.  This is different from traditional bargaining in that everyone present at the negotiating table works to identify issues that relate to sunshined articles, come up with joint or shared interests relating to the articles, and then find options that meet our shared interests.

1.     Meeting Updates:

So far the bargaining teams have met three times at Home Office.

 

On January 10, 2018 we:

•       Discussed the IBB process

•       Reviewed both sides’ sunshine letters

•       Discussed leave provisions

• Listed interests and options for the issue of the ability of members to donate leave to members who have exhausted all their paid leave (catastrophic leave)

 

On January 18, 2018, we:

•       Discussed leave provisions

  •    Continued discussion around catastrophic leave and the definition

  •    AMU presented on parental leave and discussed interests and options 

  •    GD presented data on use of sick/personal necessity leave (PNL) on Mondays and Fridays and discussed interests and options

•       AMU presented on work year and total number of days worked

 

On January 30, 2018, we:

•       Discussed catastrophic leave language and creation of donated leave bank

•       AMU asked additional data questions on PNL data and discussed language that further defines PNL days

•       Budget presentation from Finance

  •    Budget outlook for next year is overall positive,

  •    LCFF recommended to be funded at 100%

•       Continued discussion on work year and number of PD days in contract

 

 

On February 5, 2018, we:

•       Discussed interests and options for compensation

•       Started discussion on interests and options class size for ID classrooms

•       Discussed probationary period

  • Agreed that there is current contractual language addresses the issue

·      Discussed grievance procedures

• GD wishes to limit certain disciplinary grievances from going before the GDPSC board

 

 

We will be meeting again on February 22, March 7, March 15, and March 20.  Wear your AMU shirt and AMU button to show your support.

 

1.     Action Item: Fill out Survey:

We need your opinion on various topics that have come up in bargaining.  You can also sign-up for future bargaining updates.  Please fill out the following survey to let us know how you feel.

https://goo.gl/8yGqrZ

 

5)    Print and hang up "I Support My Bargaining Committee" Sign:

Use the following link to print out a "I Support My Bargaining Committee" sign and hang it up in your room or by your door. 
https://goo.gl/pvXtw5

 

Thanks, and, as always, please reach out to bargainingchair@amuanimo.org if you have any questions!

 

Your Bargaining Chair,

 

 

Benjamin West

Science Teacher